Christmas Thoughts

Well, this is obviously not a normal post. I wanted to write this to help sort out some of the things I've been dealing with surrounding Christmas. In a nutshell, it has been hard to get in the "Christmas spirit" this year. I felt this way last year too, but thought maybe I was just being a Scrooge. When my Christmas cynicism reappeared this year, I decided to think it over and pray about it. This sometimes leads to writing about things, which helps me organize my thoughts. Thus, this blog post.

 

To begin, let me clarify. I am happy to get together with family, to reflect on the birth of Christ, to sing the amazing Christmas hymns at church during the season, and enjoy the pretty lights that people put in their yards as I drive by them (among other things). However, dread sets in about certain parts of the season as well. I get discouraged by the way my heart has idolized the festivities of Christmas in the past and by the greed that often creeps in during the season. I also don't like how the calendar usually gets (over)packed, and I feel pressure to do certin things. Pressure to buy a lot of stuff (despite my lack of money). Pressure to decorate inside and out. Pressure to buy "the" gift for my hubby or kids. Pressure to buy people something cool who already have everything. Pressure to bake stuff I don't need to eat. Even pressure to develop some sort of advent tradition, pressure to fill the month with random acts of kindness that I should be doing the rest of the year anyway, pressure to give to a myriad of nonprofits that I'd already give to if my heart were really that concerned in the first place. Etc. Etc. 

 

It also bothers me that it seems like often there is not much of a difference between the way believers celebrate and the way non-believers celebrate. Because even if we throw in a Christmas service at church (which many non-believers also attend, I might add...), don't we all end up in the middle of presents on Christmas morning?? Not that presents are bad. I'm just thinking through it all. And even if we read through the Christmas story in the Bible on Christmas day.... does the act of Christ becoming a man really justify all the rest of the (distracting) hoopla surrounding Christmas? Does all of this really honor His Incarnation?

 

I've also been thinking about Easter, and its relationship to Christmas. On this day, we celebrate that Christ was resurrected FROM THE DEAD!!!! And that He continues to live and offer abundant life to those who believe in Him!!! Yet... I don't decorate my house, I don't buy a lot of gifts for people or send cards, etc. etc.. The Lenten season generally goes by unnoticed, whereas Advent is celebrated weekly in the church leading up to Christmas. (And then no one celebrates the Sunday of Pentecost- when the Holy Spirit was given. Why not people??) It seems that at least part of the focus on Christmas is misplaced and overemphasized.

 

After all this, what I'm trying to say is that I'm sending out Pentecost cards next year. Not really. What I'm really trying to say is that I want to continue to prayerfully consider what we (my family) celebrate and how we celebrate and let the unnecessary distractions fall away. I know I want to see my extended family and rejoice with them over the birth of Christ. And I know I want to reflect on Jesus, on the beauty and craziness of the fact that He came to earth as a man. But the things that distract from that- we can let go of those things. 

 

 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14