Thanksgiving came too fast this year. I got my autumn decorations up a few days before Thanksgiving. Now only a week and a half later I had to take them down.
It’s also easy to let Christmas go by too quickly without taking the time to decorate the house. Is it worth the trouble? Why do we bother with untangling lights, taking out those old ornaments, and tired looking wreaths?
In a Facebook thread about Christians who do not like celebrating Christians, someone wrote,
“I used to hate it when stores put up Christmas too early but now I love it! Who cares if they use it to make money and create materialism, I now see it as YEA, we get to celebrate Jesus’ birth for a longer period of time and sing Christmas carols for 2 months rather than just 1. As christians we are to share Jesus every day of the year and yet we really are more joyful and giving at Christmas time, let’s extend that time and win over more scrooges!”
I agree. Sure, it’s commercialized. Sure, it has lost some its meaning. Yeah, Jesus wasn’t really born on December 25th. Etc, etc, etc… But it’s a time where the name of Jesus is in the forefront, and that’s what I support.
A Christian friend is going to China where she will have an opportunity to speak at a school about Christmas as a cultural lesson. She’ll be talking about the birth, life and death of Jesus – that’s practically giving the gospel.
I heard from a missionary friend in Japan who will be reading a story about Jesus in her daughter’s classroom in the public school. The teacher encouraged her to do it.
In the face of an increasing anti-Christian culture here in America, people will put aside the hostilities toward Jesus at Christmas time. It’s a great opportunity for us as Christians to talk about Jesus and celebrate the season as much as we can!
I also think its important to keep Christmas traditions, at home and at church – putting up a tree, setting out the nativity scene, the tinsel, the poinsettias, the wreaths – all that reminds us of the season to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
In Dr. Laura’s book Ten Commandments, she says this about traditions: (She is not referring specifically to Christmas. Dr. Laura is Jewish.)
Tipping your hat to a lady is a reminder of respect. Saying “please” before each request is a reminder of humility. Saying “thank you” after each gift or blessing is a reminder of gratitude…Saying grace before and/or after each meal is a reminder of your love of God, and God’s for us.
Without these reminders we can too easily become crass and self-centered. These ritualized acts give us the opportunity to become more holy in our purpose and closer to God.
That’s why I take the little extra effort to make Christmas a special season – to give us opportunity to be closer to God.