O come, O come, Emmanuel.

Listen to the best of the church's music for the Advent season at Lutheran Public Radio.org

That points in lonely air, I'll hear until the Son of God appear.

Sacred music for the Advent season, Lutheranpublicradio.org

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Advent and Christmas are seasons filled with traditions of all varieties and sorts.

Church traditions, family traditions,

personal traditions, sometimes these are good things and sometimes not. To learn all about traditions,

pick up your copy of the December 2025 issue of the Lutheran Witness, tradition and traditions.

Visit cbh.org slash witness to subscribe or our website,

witness.org, to learn more.

The Lutheran Witness,

helping you interpret the world

from a Lutheran perspective.

Music Lutherans like the Christmas season. It may be their favorite if you were to go through all of their opinions. Martin Luther was especially enamored of the message of Christmas and of the Christ child.

So how have our traditions come down to us, especially here in America?

Welcome back to Issues Cedar.

I'm Todd Wilkin, joining us to discuss Christmas traditions in the history of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, Pastor Mark Laced.

He's pastor of Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frankentrose, Michigan,

and he's author of a column for the Lutheran Witness Magazine titled Celebrating the Birth.

Mark, welcome back.

Hi, Todd.

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