I’m a little lost. The Christmas season is upon us and I have cards to get out, presents to buy, decorating to be done, and everything that everyone else has probably already accomplished. I’m behind the 8-ball, as people used to say when they were behind on their tasks, and I have decided my excuse is that most of this has nothing to do with the real reason we celebrate.
I blame the Germans. They’re the ones who began all the decorating, and the English. Didn’t they start the cards? I am both German and English, so my actual ancestors are completely at fault.
I look back at my childhood Christmases, full of family, music, tons of snow and lots of church. We were continuously delighted. Today it is hard to delight a child. Or maybe I am finding what others already know: That kids get older and nothing is as exciting as texting and being texted to. Maybe they are texting “Merry Christmas” to someone, who knows?
Meanwhile there are others, who are decidedly not merry. The song, “Where are you Christmas?” asks, “Where are you Christmas? Why can’t I find you, why have you gone away?” The Faith Hill recording is the seventh most successful Christmas song in Recording Industry Association history. I don’t know for sure, but maybe it’s because a lot of people recognize themselves in the lyrics. Christmas is a little lost for some.
We all probably know families that are suffering from some terrible disappointment. All around us there are deaths, separations, illness, joblessness, addictions and difficult life changes. When our hearts are bruised, it’s hard to feel the way we think we are supposed to feel at Christmas time—joyful, engaged, and just, well, happy.
I’ve learned that when you are standing on the edge of a cliff, the wise thing to do is to take a step back. Get back to the basics of the celebration: The birth of Christ, remembering that the true spirit of Christmas is a holy knowing that we belong to the One who was born more than 2000 years ago, the One who knows us, our joys and sorrows, who always has a Plan B when Plan A hasn’t worked out.
Focus on Him and let others cheer you. I give you full permission to forget the Christmas cards this year—it’s too stressful (and you’ll be saving a tree.) We are always called to be loving to others, but this year it might be your turn to have others be there for you.
And so I pray that this Christmas season will be a time of healing and blessed peace, and that all our futures might be both merry and bright.
Frohe Weihnachten,
Nancy
(Ok, that’s German for Merry Christmas :))
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