Is it ok to hate Christmas sometimes? I'm not talking about hating the true meaning of Christmas, but rather hating the fact that the true meaning is completely eclipsed by the business of the season. Once Thanksgiving is over, there seems to be a feeling in the air, one of hurriedness. Hurry and make your crafts. Hurry and decorate. Hurry and shop. Hurry, hurry, hurry. And so many commercials.
There are things about Christmas that I love. Such as the lights, images of snow covered trees, the scents, all of that. But the rest of it just brings me down. I don't want to go shopping right now. I don't want to put up a Christmas tree when its 80 degrees outside and the fans are all running. The calendar dictates our lives to us and I don't like it. What would make it better?
How about knowing that December 25 is coming soon and that it's a day we celebrate that Jesus was born. That he was born humbly and quietly, although he was the creator of all that exists? How about we then humble ourselves and plan to use this time to help others in need, those that don't have everything we have? What would be wrong with that?
Oh yes, the economy. Let's not forget that. The car industry needs to move those cars after all. I would never want a car for Christmas, as odd as that sounds. It's NOT my birthday. A car for MY birthday would be awesome. But not on someone else's birthday. I know the three wise men came bearing gifts but the gifts were for Jesus. And God the Father gave Jesus to us as the greatest gift of all. But the business of giving gifts to each other has muddled all of that.
I always liked the story of the Grinch because after he took away all the trappings of the season, the people of the town were still joyful and still singing on Christmas morning. If I had any say, I would take all the trappings away, except gifts for the kids, who are too young to understand, and hope that everyone else would have a sort of epiphany about the true season.
Love your enemy. Love those that despitefully use you. Use the birth of Christ to make amends with those you are harboring bitterness against or who maybe you have hurt in some way. Help your elderly neighbor or the homeless person you see every day. Be a friend to someone who needs one. Imagine if that is how everyone spent Christmas day. You could take the most beautiful Christmas scene imaginable and I don't think it would come close to the beauty of what that day would become.
