Let’s talk about Christmas…
It is December 4th. I have bought a few Christmas gifts. I have knit a few Christmas gifts. I have thought about some gifts that I need to purchase. We do have outdoor lights up because our lawn guy hangs them for a little extra holiday spending money. But other than that, Christmas is not happening at my house yet. I simply don’t have the time until after my school semester is over to deal with the moving of the boxes and bins of decorations from the garage and the rearranging of furniture that is necessary to make room for the tree. And this year, keeping a young puppy from playing hide and seek under the tree will be an added holiday task. Decorating for the holidays should be a joyful thing not a dreaded task like scrubbing toilets. Why is it that there is a large part of the population that doesn’t understand that not everyone’s Christmas decorations have to be out on Thanksgiving weekend?
As one raised in the liturgical church, this is the season of Advent, the season of waiting. And this time of waiting lasts until December 25th…and then Christmas BEGINS! I heard a commercial on a radio station this morning that bragged that they were playing Christmas music 24/7 all the way until December 25th. Why stop when Christmas has just begun? You know that song about the 12 days of Christmas? Those twelve days START on December 25th and last until January 6th. We are not in the Christmas season yet.
We have become a society that doesn’t like to wait for anything. We move from one obligation, or event, or task to the next with as little time in between as possible. We associate “having to wait” as an inconvenience and a waste of time. “In the time that I am waiting I could have done XYZ other things.” I suppose that is true if your only concern is with trying to get things accomplished.
But what if you want to do things with a spirit of intentionality and joy?
This season waiting through Advent is not idle time or wasted time, at least with regard to the mind. It is a time of preparation. Preparation, whether it be for an upcoming trip, a business meeting, house guests, or Christmas, is important. Intentional preparation puts one’s mind and body in the right place to meet a moment with enthusiasm, with open arms and a grateful spirit. Lack of preparation means that we might never be in the right place to fully appreciate or experience all that an opportunity has to offer.
For those people who started preparing for Christmas back in October and were totally ready for it in November, blessings to you. For those of us who are still preparing, why does the world not understand? Why is holiday decorating shaming even a thing? I will get my tree and other decorations up in another week or so. By that time, I will be good a ready, prepared and excited. And, I will have plenty of time to enjoy them.
And on New Years Eve, after many have packed away any evidence of Christmas, I will be celebrating the midpoint of the true Christmas season. around my Christmas tree with the halls still decked out.
May the joy of the season be yours whenever you are ready for it!