Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. The current year is about to come to an end; it’s time to reflect on the fact that we are all a year older and that much closer to our inevitable launch into eternity. While still in a contemplative mood I was relieved to receive this morning a last-minute online “Holiday Greeting” from Holland America Cruise Lines, signed “your friends at Holland America”. Actually I don’t have any friends at Holland America and my suspicion is that they want me to buy a cruise ticket in 2011 which I may or may not do but I appreciate the sentiment anyway: I’m sure it was sincere and heartfelt. I think I understand what Christmas means or at least what it is supposed to mean, but I have no idea whatsoever what the “Holidays” are intended to stand for except perhaps an excuse to run back and forth to the Mall. I also don’t know what to say when people ask me if I am ready for Christmas.
The truth is the Christmas I celebrate each year bears little resemblance to the version most of the people I know supposedly welcome into their homes. Mine is a very quiet affair, shared with a few friends and that’s about all there is to it. We spend time together, we eat a lot, we go to the theater and to the Symphony. We exchange a few gifts; we go to Church. On Christmas Eve we eat again and then go to a midnight service somewhere in the city. Personally welcoming Christmas Day makes its arrival a holy moment for me rather than just a holiday. My friends and I are thankful for each other’s company not just on one day but on all the days throughout the year because we understand a New Year can bring with it unexpected change and loss. In my house there’s no huge Christmas tree with presents spilling out from underneath and no family coming in from out of town. On Christmas Day I get up and make a pot of coffee. I suspect if people were honest most would confess their own Christmas bears little resemblance to the image they see on sentimental Hallmark cards, but as always the day has to be an individual experience or it has no real significance. The one and only thing that gives my Christmas or anyone’s Christmas any meaning at all is Christ.
My neighbors began to decorate their houses before Thanksgiving and now my street is lit up like an airport. I know them to be a nice group of people but since I’m not so sure about the rest of the world I began to wonder if people really give any thought to why they do what they do in late December or if it’s become custom to just follow tradition year after year while secretly yearning to be rid of the whole business when December 26th finally comes around. What is Christmas? Since the Pope and Billy Graham are probably busy I consulted Yahoo Answers and found these words of wisdom from a guy named Josh, posted over a year ago. His opinions are probably still current.
The What is Christmas List (according to Josh):
1. Christmas is about visiting families, giving, celebrating, and having fun.
2. Some religions believe that the birth of Jesus, was in October. Some religions believe that the birth of Jesus, was in April. Some religions believe that the birth of Jesus, was in December or January.
3. The reason why families celebrate Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, is because people get lonely, and it's time for people to get together.
4. Santa is like your parents. The original Santa Claus was Saint Nickolas, who was a carpenter, that made toys for kids, in a town.
5. Celebrating Christmas is better than having wars.
6. Christmas was named after Christ. "Christ"mas. Xmas. X short for Christ.
7. Having too many things against your religion is over doing it.
8. Jesus wants you to just be yourself. Jesus doesn't expect everyone to be perfect. Jesus gives people the free choice. Having fun is okay to do. We all need to have fun. Celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter is okay to do. Nothing wrong with that.
Josh was probably well-intentioned but his facts need a little revision.
1. Christmas is about Jesus, The Incarnate Word, Emmanuel, God With Us who came to earth to die so that those who believe in Him might have eternal life.
2. That Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25th is about as important as making the observation that correct punctuation is a good thing. When is less important than why.
3. Loneliness is epidemic, especially in large cities, but it’s an urban myth that more people commit suicide during the Christmas season than at any other time of the year. People commit suicide all year long because they have come to the end of their hope. Facebook and internet blogs are not a substitute for communication and it is indeed time for people to get together.
4. Santa Claus is not like your parents.
5. Celebrating Christmas is much better than having a war, but that fact doesn’t keep people from fighting with each other in their own living rooms on Christmas Day.
6. Just because the letter “x” is symbolic of the Greek Cross doesn’t mean it should end up on your Christmas cards.
7. Having too many things against your religion is called legalism. Christianity is more about what and whom you include in your life than about what and whom you exclude.
8. God doesn’t want us to be ourselves; He wants us to be perfect as He is perfect and He knew we couldn’t get to Heaven on our own so He sent His Son to die in our place and that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.
The above image is a portrait of a friend’s daughter. She is dressed in a bedsheet, strategically draped and I then drew her as an angel.
The truth is the Christmas I celebrate each year bears little resemblance to the version most of the people I know supposedly welcome into their homes. Mine is a very quiet affair, shared with a few friends and that’s about all there is to it. We spend time together, we eat a lot, we go to the theater and to the Symphony. We exchange a few gifts; we go to Church. On Christmas Eve we eat again and then go to a midnight service somewhere in the city. Personally welcoming Christmas Day makes its arrival a holy moment for me rather than just a holiday. My friends and I are thankful for each other’s company not just on one day but on all the days throughout the year because we understand a New Year can bring with it unexpected change and loss. In my house there’s no huge Christmas tree with presents spilling out from underneath and no family coming in from out of town. On Christmas Day I get up and make a pot of coffee. I suspect if people were honest most would confess their own Christmas bears little resemblance to the image they see on sentimental Hallmark cards, but as always the day has to be an individual experience or it has no real significance. The one and only thing that gives my Christmas or anyone’s Christmas any meaning at all is Christ.
My neighbors began to decorate their houses before Thanksgiving and now my street is lit up like an airport. I know them to be a nice group of people but since I’m not so sure about the rest of the world I began to wonder if people really give any thought to why they do what they do in late December or if it’s become custom to just follow tradition year after year while secretly yearning to be rid of the whole business when December 26th finally comes around. What is Christmas? Since the Pope and Billy Graham are probably busy I consulted Yahoo Answers and found these words of wisdom from a guy named Josh, posted over a year ago. His opinions are probably still current.
The What is Christmas List (according to Josh):
1. Christmas is about visiting families, giving, celebrating, and having fun.
2. Some religions believe that the birth of Jesus, was in October. Some religions believe that the birth of Jesus, was in April. Some religions believe that the birth of Jesus, was in December or January.
3. The reason why families celebrate Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, is because people get lonely, and it's time for people to get together.
4. Santa is like your parents. The original Santa Claus was Saint Nickolas, who was a carpenter, that made toys for kids, in a town.
5. Celebrating Christmas is better than having wars.
6. Christmas was named after Christ. "Christ"mas. Xmas. X short for Christ.
7. Having too many things against your religion is over doing it.
8. Jesus wants you to just be yourself. Jesus doesn't expect everyone to be perfect. Jesus gives people the free choice. Having fun is okay to do. We all need to have fun. Celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter is okay to do. Nothing wrong with that.
Josh was probably well-intentioned but his facts need a little revision.
1. Christmas is about Jesus, The Incarnate Word, Emmanuel, God With Us who came to earth to die so that those who believe in Him might have eternal life.
2. That Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25th is about as important as making the observation that correct punctuation is a good thing. When is less important than why.
3. Loneliness is epidemic, especially in large cities, but it’s an urban myth that more people commit suicide during the Christmas season than at any other time of the year. People commit suicide all year long because they have come to the end of their hope. Facebook and internet blogs are not a substitute for communication and it is indeed time for people to get together.
4. Santa Claus is not like your parents.
5. Celebrating Christmas is much better than having a war, but that fact doesn’t keep people from fighting with each other in their own living rooms on Christmas Day.
6. Just because the letter “x” is symbolic of the Greek Cross doesn’t mean it should end up on your Christmas cards.
7. Having too many things against your religion is called legalism. Christianity is more about what and whom you include in your life than about what and whom you exclude.
8. God doesn’t want us to be ourselves; He wants us to be perfect as He is perfect and He knew we couldn’t get to Heaven on our own so He sent His Son to die in our place and that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.
The above image is a portrait of a friend’s daughter. She is dressed in a bedsheet, strategically draped and I then drew her as an angel.
“9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. “
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