Greetings, dear reader!
What was that? Did I hear a groan of disgust from one of you? Don't say the C-word until after Thanksgiving? Is that what I hear you complaining about? Well bah, humbug to you too! Just consider yourself lucky that I was being nice and waited until after Halloween to post this! Christmas has been going of for weeks already here.
"But why?" you say. "Isn't it bad enough that everyone's already pulling out the Christmas merchandise and commercials? Do we really have to hear it from you now, too? Why so much fuss over one day?"
Well, I'm just so glad you asked. Mwahahahahaaaaaaa.
Ok, ok, I'll admit, I'm not super crazy about the commercialism that hounds us this time of year. The cheepo Santa Clause crap that pops up everywhere. The pressure of spending too much money for stuff that no one really needs. If that's what you're bemoaning, then I'm right there with you, friend. Cause that ain't Christmas!
Christmas isn't a day. Not just a day that we spend weeks preparing for just so we can suffer that inevitable afternoon letdown once the gifts are opened and the meal is eaten and we're faced with a week's worth of dirty dishes, loose wrapping paper, fallen pine needles, and sugar-crazed chaos. Just, no. Christmas is a season. It's a celebration. Don't ever forget that. Don't let it become "Gone Bankrupt Day" like Thanksgiving has turned into "Turkey Day."
Think about it: midwinter just hit. It's dark. It's cold. The worst of winter is yet to come. The winter solstice welcomes in the DARKEST days of the year. And get this-- before Christmas-- that is, before Christ's birth-- the world was lost in that same kind of all-consuming darkness, without hope. I mean, really, what kind of hope did they have? Without any of the things we take for granted now, amenities like, for most of those who will be reading this, modern medicine, food, warmth, dreams and ambitions, the freedom to pursue any path toward happiness that we choose, the hope of heaven, for those who follow Jesus, and the comfort that comes with that, of knowing that this world is the worst thing we'll ever have to see. Before Christmas, things were just getting darker. Then Christ came.
Christmas is a celebration of Light. Or didn't you ever stop to think about those millions of feet of sparkly, twinkly lights that go up every year, and what kind of a statement they're supposed to make? The winter solstice is past, and now, no matter how cold the winter gets, light is coming. Spring is coming. It's not going to get any darker. And Christ, the Light of the World, has come. We have hope.
Ain't anybody gonna tell me I have to wait till after Thanksgiving to celebrate that!
So when October hits, and the days get noticeably shorter, and the nights get a whole lot colder, I start looking toward Christmas, and thinking about light. I could wax poetic-- literally (as evidenced by the poem at the top of the post)-- but I won't. At least not too much. But when I was growing up, Christmas was an EVENT. It started in August, during fair season, and involved lots of evenings listening to Christmas music and stories while working on projects. There were lots of horrible, childish crafts that I was so proud of, and lots of things I still love to do. Painted pinecones and wooden ornaments, lovingly set aside to be hung on the tree. Handmade gifts, designed and crafted especially with that one person in mind. Evenings when all but the Christmas lights would be turned off, and instrumental Christmas music turned on (Manheim Steamroller has always been a favorite), and you can just bask in the peace and the beauty and let your imagination follow the music and create stories and scenes that it brings to mind.
Maybe because we were poor, it was always a really big deal to go Christmas shopping. When you only have a very limited budget to spend on it, it becomes a treasure hunt of the first order, patching together bought items with homemade items, looking for a great deal on some fun little thing. When did buying the latest electronic gadget equal happiness? Please. There is an art to Christmas shopping, and it doesn't involve gaming systems or smartphones. Were some of our gifts a little corny? Absolutely. But they made the best memories. They meant everything, both to the person giving and the person receiving, because they had character. They had careful thought put into them. They weren't just an obligation. They were an expression of love-- just like the gift of Jesus.
So please, I beg you, as soon as humanly possible, drop everything and make some hot spiced cider. Put on some carols. Turn off the screens and just be still. Think about the people who mean the most to you, and how you could express that. Most of the time, the best way to do that doesn't involve much money at all. Christmas isn't a competition for who spent the most. It's a celebration of light, and all the people who bring light into our lives. It's isn't an obligation, it's an opportunity.
Here's to wishing you all a very long and satisfying holiday season! I would LOVE to hear about special Christmas quirks and traditions you or your family has. Or Thanksgiving, for that matter! And don't count on this being the last and only Christmas flavored post you'll be getting from me. I'm a bit holiday happy. LOL
