Oh Holy Day
Oh Holy Day
CHRISTMAS. What does it mean to you? I know, I know, if your are a Christian the answer is: this is the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. But if you are the average person, the way your schedule looks for the next few weeks. Christmas is a labor intensive, expensive, and hectic day to prepare for. What with all the gifts to buy and wrap and mail. All the food to prepare. The company and church and family and friends parties to attend. The crowds to fight for the best gifts at the lowest price...after you've finally found a parking place! And then, after all the torn gift wrap has been bulldozed out of the living room and the tree has shed all but two needles onto the carpet, you are left with the feeling that the celebration was less about a baby in a manger and more about rampant consumerism. Once again, the culture has dictated how we are to celebrate OUR holy day. This is a travesty. For all of you out there who desire this holiday to have some semblance of meaning, I have a few suggestions.
You could go off the grid. By that I mean getting rid of your television. I know, just the thought of missing an episode of "Frasier" sends you into nail-biting withdrawal. But this can be done. You and your family will be ridding yourselves of the major conduit of the world's propaganda into your home. No one will see any of those advertisements that companies pay ad agencies millions of dollars to attract your attention and convince you that unless you have a certain toy, article of clothing or power tool, you are a dweebed out, zero-based, individual. How addictive is television? How powerful is its influence in your home? Just try to talk to your family about getting rid of it or cutting back on the amount of hours each person is allowed to watch. You will find out quickly that Zenith is a beloved member of the family.
You could get rid of the tree. "The tree! What do you mean get rid of the tree? Why, I tell you..." Alright, calm down. This point is easy compared to the next one. Now really, when you think about it, isn't cutting down a tree and placing it in a prominent place in your house just a little weird? What does THAT tradition have any relation with angels, shepherds, wise men, the drummer boy or any other part of the Christmas story? (I'm just kidding about the Drummer boy)
You could stop giving presents. I told you this one is huge. But hey, why not stop all the spending and wrapping, and so, eliminating the biggest distraction for the reason of the season? No kid, from age 4 to 84 is going to be fully focused on celebrating the birth of Christ when it is they themselves that are getting the gifts. Imagine at your next birthday party, everyone showing up and giving gifts to each other after they sing Happy Birthday to you! Wouldn't you feel special?!
Now I know by now that you are probably thinking that my idea of celebrating Noel is Elno. But that is not the case. Let me illustrate. You could begin the season of Christmas observance weeks in advance by reading stories surrounding the birth of the Savior. Each night you could share a story with your family regarding the coming Messiah. There is the promise to Eve in the Garden, that the Seed of the Woman will one day crush the head of the serpent, the Isaiah prophecy, the miracle of Elizabeth's conception, the wise men, the shepherds, and all the circumstances of Mary's and Joseph's dilemma. These stories could build to a crescendo on Christmas Eve.
Decorate the house. See, I'm not a Scrooge. Let there be candles and wreaths and pine cones and holly. Angela and I are particularly enjoy the mistletoe! Do as many hand-made decorations as possible. This signals to the children that the season is special and different than the rest of the year. Let the glow of candlelight and the warmth of the hearth and the smell of evergreen permeate the whole home.
Mugs of cocoa and homemade Christmas cookies with a gathering of friends and family is just the kind of event that this holiday calls for. During this time, have people share what Christ has done for them and then end the evening with the singing of all the Jesus centered Christmas songs that you know. Chances are, that this will prove to be remembered longer and have more meaning to you and the other participants than all the rest of the activities that involve your time during this season.
For those who argue that my suggestions take away the spirit of the holiday I would rebut that, yes they do. But it is the wrong spirit that I am endeavoring to exorcize- the "Satan Claus" spirit that has supplanted the
true meaning of Christmas. And what of the children? What will they think when they are faced with this
paradigm shift from material gain to spiritual emphasis? You can be sure that they will remember their first Christmas when Dad and Mom decided to focus on the true and beautiful even when faced with the opposition of family members, fellow church members and CO-workers. Nothing like doing something right to make the encultured people around you fear that you have gone off the deep end and possibly have joined a cult.
Shower gifts on your children on their birthday or on New Years day. But make Christmas meaningful, relaxed, and centered on the Savior.
O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie:
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, The everlasting Light:
The hopes and fears of all the years, Are met in thee tonight.
Those last two lines just don't seem to be compatible with Kmart's blue-light specials.