What *is* Christmas?

When you think of Christmas, what do you think of?

Is it Christmas presents, Santa Claus, parties, candy, and big fancy meals?
What does Christmas look like when you envision it? Do you see extravagant shopping trips and outrageous credit card bills for months to follow?  Do you see fancy parties to which new outfits simply must be purchased in order to attend *and* have a good time?

What happened to Christmas?  When did commercialism throw up all over Jesus' birthday?

Ok, I hope I didn't offend you, but really...  when do we turn a birthday celebration - the celebration of someone who loves us more than life itself (quite literally) - turn into a celebration of self, me, me, me, me, and more, more, more, and gimmes?  Ah, well, only at Christmas...  we don't turn our children's birthdays into self-indulgent shopping sprees, do we?  So why do we with our Lord's birthday?

With that said, it sounds like maybe we don't "do" Christmas - but we do.  However, it's so important to keep the **meaning** of CHRISTmas *in* Christmas...  Christ - our Lord, who came to this earth to live a breathing example of how we are to live, to overcome sin, to overcome death...  to give His life as a living example, and to live through his death, his crucifixion, so that we might overcome death someday as well... 

Where does Santa come in to that picture?

No, we don't teach our children to believe in Santa Claus...  call us ogres if you like, we can take it!  But Santa isn't real.  There, I said it.  It's true.  The *premise* of Santa, based upon the life and story of Saint Nicholas *is* real, and he loved and worshipped our Lord and Savior - he gave to the needy, he helped the poor, he reached out to those in need...  in the name and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He didn't wear a red stocking cap with a white dingle ball on the end, he didn't come in all of his glory, ho-ho-ho-ing all the way there and back again...  he came quietly, he came with discretion, he came in humility.  He came bearing the gift of love as well as the meeting of real needs of real people.

Some people who dearly, truly love the Lord do not celebrate Christmas at all because it has become such a commercialized and sad business.  You know, I can understand where they are coming from.  We don't take that same stand, but I understand why they do...  Some people who dearly and truly love the Lord go allll out and invite Santa into their homes and traditions, they go all out and have those extra credit card bills for months (or years) to come as a result...  I don't understand this, but I don't have to - it's their homes and their families, and their decision.  Do I agree with it?  No.  BUT I don't have to - it's not my place.  But when it comes to MY family, it is my place...  well, rephrase - it is my husband's and my place...

Our family belief is that it's ok to give gifts...  we do party favors for birthdays, so we can do a few things for Christmas as well...  but it needs to be in moderation, and it needs to not be the **focus** of the day - of the holiday (taken from the original "Holy Day")

So, how do we *do* Christmas?  It starts at Thanksgiving...  actually, it starts before that, but the celebratory days, the "decorated" days start on Thanksgiving evening.  No, we don't have presents every day, but we like to make those days special. 

Thanksgiving evening we put up our simply decorated tree and string a few lights and rustic garlands.  We like simple - it suits us.  I'm not saying a thing against those who prefer fancier decorations - it's all preference. :)

There are some wonderful books written to help keep the focus on Christmas and Easter (Lent).  These are written by Arnold Ytreeide - they are written to be read a section each night for a specified number of days leading up to Christmas (and honestly, they make for a great family-reading at the supper table after the evening meal, if you would like to try it!).  The titles for Advent/ Christmas are Bartholomew's Passage, Tabitha's Travels, and Jotham's Journey.  I encourage you to pick one of them for your next Advent season to read with/ to your family and make that a part of your evening tradition.

Before Thanksgiving, we prepare for our holiday celebration by participating in Operation Christmas Child - this is a ministry through Samaritan's Purse - it's too late to do shoeboxes for this year, but it's not too late to give...  they take donations through the year, and Samaritan's Purse ministers to flood/ storm victims as needed, they minister to Americans and those in other countries as they see need and are led of the Lord.  Their website is http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

After Thanksgiving we turn our attention to organizations more local to us - our local pregnancy center, rescue mission, and sometimes rehab centers/ recovery centers.  A few years ago we spent a day singing at a hospice - quietly singing through the hallways as a special way to minister to families spending their last days together before ushering a loved family member into eternity.  Whatever you do, please take time to do something, no matter how small or how extravagant, to minister to those who are hurting over the holiday season.  It doesn't have to be *stuff*, it can be as simple as your time...  one of the absolutely most valuable gifts you can give.  So many hurting people out there, so many needs...  so many lonely individuals...  if it's spending 5 minutes listening to an elderly man or woman at the grocery store (yes, a total stranger) and giving them an encouraging smile or a hug before parting or caroling at a nursing home, or serving meals at your local shelter, or organizing a clothing, food, or gift drive for those in need...  do something, I challenge you, to make this season special to someone outside of your own family - immediate or extended.

Gifts - yes, we do exchange gifts for Christmas...  it has been our tradition to do the "7 days of Christmas" leading up to Christmas - we do a name exchange for the family, so each person has the name of one other person in our home to give a gift to, we have a gift from my husband's parents (usually they send us a check to buy a gift in their stead, which is usually a membership to someplace for the family...  in years past it's usually been the zoo - there isn't a zoo where we live now, but here we have a children's museum, which we are all excited about!)  then there are 5 days of gifts from Daddy and Mama.  This year I made each of the kids and my husband bed quilts.  It's a lot colder up here in the north than it was when we were stationed in the south!  Texas and Alabama are considerably warmer and more humid than the Northwest!! (we love it here, for the record).  I haven't tried uploading pictures to my blog yet, so I'll try...  no guarantees...  but I started working on their quilts in January - but that's 9 quilts, so I needed a good bit of time to get them done!  It came down to a crunch on time there at the end, and there were several nights where I worked until 2 or 3 in the morning, sewing - one night/ morning until 5...  but no matter what time *I* go to bed, my children are early risers, and I need to be up early too - so the uber-late nights were limited.  I'm not as young as I once was, after all, and all nighters just don't work for me so much anymore!  Yeah, showing my age...  I like naps, too, though they are rare...  When I'm old old, and my children are all grown and have children and perhaps grandchildren, if I am still alive, I plan to take a nap EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  Ha.  It just sounds loverly, doesn't it?

Anyway, yes, we exchange gifts, but we keep things simple...  we don't do electronic toys (personal preference for both my husband and myself) and we don't spend a tremendous amount of money (we don't have it to spend anyway - but I think that's probably a good thing...  yeah, you can think I'm crazy, but I'm glad we aren't *rich* in money or wordly things...  we are, however, rich in those things of eternal value, and I am so very thankful for that!!)

Christmas day this year, we were so excited to have land on a Sunday!  Even more so because Daddy/ my husband was home for Christmas, so we could attend as a family, rather than having him gone. (the military doesn't care if it's a holiday, someone still has to defend and protect our country...  after all, Terrorists do not only attack during business hours, Monday through Friday.)

Now, I have heard many people complaining this year about churches holding church services on Sunday morning... and how wrong it is...  and how it interferes with their family traditions and Christmas celebration.  This I just do not understand...  HOW is going to the Lord's house on Christmas Day taking *away* from Christmas?  If you are celebrating someone's birthday, do you not look forward to going to their house to celebrate *that person*??  Isn't Christmas when we celebrate the birth of our Lord??  So isn't it a great gift to be able to attend church services on that very special day?  I think it is - you're welcome to disagree with me, but I'm going to look at you strange if you do!  I'll still love you, but I will think you are strange.

Christmas...  what is it?  What is it REALLY?  It is a celebration of our Lord - it is a time of giving... not just to our very own loved ones, but to those in the world alongside of us...  to those in need, to those who are lonely, to those who need an extra measure of love and attention during a typically busy season where so often loneliness and poverty are more deeply felt by those struggling through.

So, what will YOU do *next* Christmas to make a difference to those around you?  This is my challenge to you - think ahead, PURPOSE to do something to make a difference, to expand your own little world.  If you already do something, I challenge you to add something more.  Involve the family, the children, and make it a family tradition.  I guarantee it will become one of the more memorable and favorite parts of your holiday traditions!