Garrison Kiellor, in one of his oft rambling ''News From Lake Wobegon'' segments on his popular radio show The Prairie Home Companion offers a thought provoking and compelling look at Christmas traditions from the perspective of Japanese tourists stranded in a middle-of-nowhere Minnesota town.

The story captures the ''return to Christmas'' theme of so many stories this time of year without being preachy, obnoxious (i.e., put the Christ back in Christmas bumper stickers), or dripping with sentiment (i.e., made for TV specials).

Do you have any Christmas traditions you do out of vain repetition instead of out of deliberate thought and understanding?