A little before Thanksgiving.
I am typically against what the media calls “Christmas Creep.” This is the phenomenon in which retailers start to decorate for Christmas sometime in early August. I find it ridiculous as I think most people do. I mean, come one, what about the four holidays before Christmas. Labor day gets no respect, Columbus day is a footnote you discover when your bank is closed and you don’t know why, Halloween gets some press, and Thanksgiving has become a shadow of a holiday.
This year it does not bug me as much.
I must be getting old. I was in Kohls in September when I saw some wooden pilgrim status. I was impressed. Someone remembered Thanksgiving before Christmas (well, sort of, they had Christmas themed products by the register). We have a local radio station already playing Christmas music, and Walgreens had their Christmas decor up yesterday (maybe earlier).
We look forward to Christmas.
We look forward to the shallow things it represents. We want family time, parties, eggnog, and gifts. There is something in our souls that wants these familiar feelings and signs of good cheer. We want it so bad, we begin our ache four months early. What is sad is, most of us stop short of what could be truly fulfilling. We stop short of the hope we could have in Christ as opposed to the hope we could have in stockings and trees.
Many are depressed.
When these shallow things of life fail us and mix with the common stresses of the holidays, people start to get depressed. I think I read once that Christmas eve tally’s one of the largest suicide rates of the year. This is the ultimate failure of “stuff” as our god showing through. Cookies and gifts will never fulfill us the same way a life with Christ, and Christ alone, will. Our family is made up of imperfect people whom we love, but who will let us down. Our need is to latch onto something permanent, holy, and perfect. Not to latch onto something temporary.
If you take time this season to focus on Christ as Lord and His entering into this world to redeem His people instead of on traditions and wish lists, I guarantee you will have a better December than last.
Oh, and don’t forget Thanksgiving.
-Don-
PS. As a bonus tip, leave the arguing over Santa Clause and “holiday” trees to the media and the rest. There are more important things to focus on.
<3 this post!
After the stress from last year (family drama's, deaths and other craziness) Kurt and I decided to do just what your blog talks about.
We gave our Christmas tree and all the lights, ornaments.. everything to a single mom of two, who we found out had no tree or the means to get one for her kids. It was a great way to tell her and the kids about Jesus!
This year we probably won't get another tree.. instead we are going to volunteer. We plan to visit people stuck in nursing homes and such with no families and there's a couple charities in the area as well we plan to help with.
We don't want gifts either. We're grown ups, usually if we want something we just budget for it anyway… so why not use this time of year to spread the joy of giving and God's word with people?
Here's a couple links if you are interested in volunteering in your area.
http://www.holiday-project.org/ (this is the one that sets you up with others to visit those alone)
http://www.volunteermatch.org/ (type your zip in this one to see local charities in need of help)
Since you are so into giving gifts….I have list
Whatcha want?
One meeeeellieon dollars. Muwahahahaha!
I personally love everything about Christmas, even the commercialism. I decorate a tree and watch Christmas cartoons even though I’m never home for Christmas (well I’m “home” just not where I live) When I worked in retail I was the only person I knew who never got tired of Christmas music. I must admit, that since moving I do find it more difficult to get into the spirit of the season. I think it is the weather, but I pack my sweaters and coat, load up my IPOD with my Christmas playlist (200 songs last count), make sure I remember to throw on “It’s a Wonderful Life” to watch on the plane, and I am ready for an Ohio Christmas!
I have no problem with the "trappings" of Christmas. Shoot, don't tell the Christians, but I even like Santa Clause! I like Christmas music, and I am the one responsible for most of the decorating at our house. I am a Christmas nerd, much like yourself.
What gets me is the way people lose their minds at Christmas. They want things to put them in the "holiday spirit" and will go to extremes to get it. Remember Fallwell's crusade against holiday trees? Or, think about the little kids who do not get everything on their Christmas list. It is kind of silly to let our emotions be put on the line over a cup of eggnog.