Amid the hustle and bustle of shopping and planning, surrounded by Santas, trees, tinsel, and lights, I always get captivated by the excitement of Christmas. I like the images of Santa’s sleigh gliding across the moon, I like Rudolph, and I like all the festive colors and glitter…I like it all.
I love families getting together, people being nicer to each other, wide-eyed, eager children, strangers telling each other “Merry Christmas.” I truly do love the season, the Christmas spirit!
I also remember that not everyone loves Christmas. For some, it’s a stark reminder that someone is missing, or perhaps the stress of it all makes the season not enjoyable. I know there is profound heartache in this world and holidays can exacerbate the misery. If you are one of the hurting souls of Christmas, I pray for peace in your heart, and joy as you face the New Year. And I mean that from deepest depth of my heart.
In the stark commercialization of Christmas…the “X-mas” of it all…I can feel grieved and a bit guilty getting caught up in the jingle of sleigh bells and reindeer…because Christmas should be about Christ, not Santa! Right? So every year, as I shopped among the ornaments and bargains, I would stop and apologize to Jesus for all that Christmas has become.
For years, I have not had a Santa in my house. He was just quietly removed and replaced with nativity scenes and pretty decorations. I don’t post Santa related memes and things on social media. (And last year, for the first time in my life, I didn’t even have a tree, or any decorations.)
A few days ago…in the middle of the Walmart Christmas aisles, I softly said, “Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for the manger, for the Cross, for your life, for salvation; thank You, Lord, for everything.” I was unashamed as a tear trickled down my face; I was overwhelmingly grateful. But I didn’t feel guilty. I was reminded that those of us who love Jesus celebrate His birth, life, death, and resurrection all through the year.
He wasn’t born on December 25, and people who don’t even believe in Jesus also celebrate Christmas. The way Christians get involved with the food, over-spending for the mandatory gift-giving, and being sure that the kids have way too many toys and gadgets to have any appreciation for all they have, Christmas isn’t about Jesus…it’s about us. The way we live our daily lives? That’s about Jesus.
It’s a good thing to pause often during the season and thank Jesus for all He has done, and all that He is. And we should carry that thankfulness and Christmas spirit (or more exactly the Holy Spirit) with us every day of our lives.
I wonder if a Santa Claus in my house or on my Facebook is a terrible thing…what do you thik?
I agree. I used to collect Santas. Several years ago, I stopped, and as the years went on , I put up fewer and fewer of them. I still have some up--I like the red color--but the dozens of jolly old men are gone. Every year, I add poinsettias for that red burst of color. The playroom holds mostly snowmen. And, yes, I've added nativity scenes, too. Always had a large one on the mantle, but now there are several others throughout the house.
ReplyDeleteBut the thing is, it's our heart's focus that counts. You may have seen my post on FB griping about the whole say "Merry Christmas" thing. Saying "Merry Christmas" doesn't keep Christ in Christmas than putting a manger scene up in your house puts Christ in your heart. For the most part, people are not celebrating the birth of the Christ, they are just coming to the birthday party--and it is a sorrowful thing to recognize.
AS I feel my mind get distracted on gift buying or the details involved in having the family at my house for dinner, I pull myself back to that life-saving reality, back to those tidings of great joy: Unto us a Savior was born!
You hit the nail on the head...not celebrating His birth, but just going to the party...where they get the gifts. But I guess if people are not Christians, I cannot expect them to think or act like a Christian.
DeleteThose tidings of great joy, yes!! Unto us a Savior was born!! Thank You, Jesus.
I think Santa is fine if he isn't the mainstay of the Christmas celebration or decorations. We had Santa around in decorations, but we chose not to do the Santa brings the gift thing with our kids. We enjoyed seeing Santa at the mall (mainly to get a picture of the kids yearly to see how much they had grown) but we emphasized more on Jesus. We read the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-11 on Christmas morn and prayed and thanked Jesus before presents were open. So many people celebrate Christmas and they really don't have any idea about Jesus. I didn't put up a tree this year, but did put the nativity scene in the middle of our mantle with a few other decorations.
ReplyDeleteChristmas is a hard time for me since my mom died 12 days before it back in 2006. I know others have faced much more tragedy than I have and still celebrate Christmas, but December has not been a kind month to our family so it all has compounded with me very thankful when Christmas is all said and done. And that is when I have to remember that Christmas is not the presents and the Hallmark family gatherings, but Christmas is when we celebrate the coming of the long awaited Messiah and it is the hope that he brings that is what really matters.
betty
I am so sorry, Betty.
DeleteHappy New Year, my friend. I hope and pray that 2018 is a good year for you and your family...where the past is forgiven and the future is peaceful and settled.
Here ya go. :) A song, "What God wants for Christmas"
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/eqlH19dhI9Q