Phew. Have a good Christmas.? Hope so. It has been the usual busy one for us. Busy and wonderful with the kids. My 6 year old and I have had a couple of interchanges that have been fun.
“Why do we give presents?”, I asked,
“Because we love each other”, she responded.
“Is that the reason we celebrate Christmas?”, I asked,
“No, it is because Jesus was born.” she returned.
Just checking.
I must admit I am a “bah humbug” when it comes to Christmas. My family never really over did it with presents – were not a Christian family in the early years, just was not a HUGE thing. Now don’t get me wrong – I struggle with my desires for things. I tend to desire big ticket items, which to this point in my life I have rarely if ever satisfied with any frequency. They also usually have a practical purpose – equipment for music etc.., but I often find myself thinking what would I choose to take if I had to pack it all in a car and live in one room with my whole family. Would I take my guitar – still try and take some form of a demo studio with computer and all, a piano? Would I be online anymore. Would it change who I am, what I do, how I dress, who I hang out with, how well I served Christ or not?
Sometimes the way we celebrate Christmas seems to fly in the face of evaluating how we remember Christ’s birth and it’s impact and influence in our lives, and instead it awakens our material short-comings. Our inability to gift our children, our spouses, or immediate family with much or anything. Should we not sacrifice, even go into debt to gift people with things?
Well it seems an absurd statement, but it is what we do as a culture.
We didn’t this year, haven’t for years really. I think I have begun to succeed at not emphasizing the material, commercial side of Christmas – now I feel I must find a way to radically change the way we celebrate the birth of Christ. Perhaps I am talking about 365 days a year – but I think I am talking about Christmas time. I do not know how yet – but I will get back to you. Hopefully before next Christmas.
Peace.
