The Schullers

One of America's premiere televangelist families, the Schuller family celebrates the true meaning of Christmas every year with the spectacular pageantry of “The Glory Of Christmas.” This amazing event portrays the birth of Christ with flying angels, live donkeys and camels inside The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA.

In addition to their ministry responsibilities, the Schuller family is the classic all American family with many of their own personal holiday expectations. Donna Schuller, the wife of Reverend Schuller, has a very full plate around Christmas time. While juggling the responsibilities of the ministry she doesn’t have much time to put together the perfect Christmas of her own.

This year Donna has to prepare for her daughter’s return from college, cook a Christmas Eve feast, decorate the house to everyone’s liking, try to get everyone the perfect gift and make it to church on time with her entire family in tow.

Can Donna find a balance between her responsibility to the church and to her family?

DONNA'S HOLIDAY FAVORITES

What is your favorite holiday memory?
My favorite childhood memory is picking out the live Christmas tree from a local Christmas Tree lot. We always had to have the very biggest that would fit in our living room. We had a vaulted ceiling and we had to put the tree off center just a bit to accommodate its size!

At least once we had to trim the top so it would fit! Since this is what we did in my childhood home, it was also a tradition in my home today ... getting the largest tree possible. In recent years I have become more practical, but I still enjoy large Christmas trees!

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition?
My favorite tradition is going to "The Glory of Christmas" at the Crystal Cathedral. This is a theatrical show which runs for about a month beginning right after Thanksgiving. It is a dramatic reenactment of the birth of Jesus and all of the events surrounding the first Christmas. It is entertainning and gets all of us into the Christmas spirit. My children love it even as they have grown into young adults. It's tradition!

What was the best gift you have given/received for Christmas?
The best gift, spiritually and emotionally, is the birth of Jesus Christ (what Christmas is celebrated for.) My favorite physical gift is the six-foot piano that my husband had delivered as a surprise on Christmas Eve right after we were married. I was in church and came home and there it was!

Even though I don't play, my husband and a couple of my kids play so there is always music in our home. Music feeds the soul and is a very important part of life.

What is your definition of holiday spirit?
The holiday spirit means to me:
A. Slow down and "smell the flowers"
B. Be kind to and patient with everyone you meet.
C. Be forgiving and understanding of others' shortcomings, recognizing that you are also imperfect!
D. Live in a state of gratitude, being thankful to God for all that you have.

How does the Crystal Cathedral add to your holiday experience?
The Crystal Cathedral experience adds to my family's Christmas experience through "The Glory of Christmas" (the show I mentioned above) and through the 10 Christmas Eve services that are conducted in the church the day and night before Christmas. These services are spectacular! The lighting, Christmas trees, musical guests and special Christmas scripture reading and message make for a very emotional and inspiring day before Christmas.

Does being the family of a Reverend really bring out the true meaning of Christmas?
As Robert's wife, my Christmas experience is especially meaningful as Christmas is a time of the year when people's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are magnified. I feel so fortunate and blessed to be a part of something that is so much bigger than myself. Christmas puts everything in perspective for me.