What I Love About Christmas

All day I've been posting about my Christmas tree on Facebook. I slept on the couch last night, skipped lunch today, all because I don't want to leave my most decorated room.

And really, I've been gearing up for the Christmas season long before I decorated yesterday. When I turned onto 4th Street downtown a few weeks ago and saw the lights strung across the street, I literally squealed with delight. A day or two later when I discovered a radio station that was already playing Christmas songs, I squealed again and have listened exclusively to that radio station since. I don't mind Christmas butting into Thanksgiving, not in the least. Christmas season doesn't last long enough for me.

Why do I love it so much? Because no matter what their intentions, anyone who decorates for Christmas is celebrating Jesus. Sure, there are many who celebrate the Santa-fied, commercialized, Jesus-less Christmas, but their festivities still scream of the One whose birth is the reason we celebrate.

I think my absolutely favorite thing is the lights. Against the backdrop of leafless trees and a cold wintery sky, these lights add an element of hope that make me absolutely giddy with love for the Light of the World. When all seemed bleak, this Light came to the world and brought hope. Every twinkling light I see remind me of his light, his hope.

The tree comes next. Of course, it is strung with the lights I love so much. But even my fake tree is a symbol to me of the life Jesus brought when he came to our world. And this isn't just a tree in the yard; it is an intimate part of my life, brought into my home. Likewise, Jesus longs to be invited into our homes, into the inmost parts of our lives.

And I love the presents. Not just getting them, which of course is fun for anyone. But the whole spirit of giving surrounding the holiday. I used to think it odd that we give everybody else presents on Jesus' birthday. But I think he must delight in seeing this love and sacrifice when giving is done right. It's a wonderful way to celebrate his selfless giving.

The music. Oh, the music. While I do delight in the whimsy of Santa songs like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, nothing gives me butterflies like hearing songs about Jesus on the regular old radio. It's the one time of year when stations other than K-Love proclaim the Savior. The song that moves me the most is "O Holy Night." When it gets to the line that so boldly proclaims "Christ is the Lord," I well up with tears a little bit. Every time. The meaning of Christmas may be hidden to many, but it isn't lost. When secular radio stations shamelessly declare such a powerful message, it's impossible to forget that Jesus is the reason we celebrate.

But it's all of these things added together that make Christmas so beautiful to me. I never feel closer to Jesus than in this season. Our world is transformed for this month, and it's transformed because of Jesus. It's transformed because, whether or not people realize it, 2,000 plus years ago a little baby was born that could transform the hearts of everyone in the world. This piece of the year, we get to see and hear that all around us...and I love it.

Happy Holidays

I'm tired of hearing Christians whine year after year about how some stores won't say Merry Christmas, and radio stations don't play enough Jesus-related Christmas music.

When did we ever get the idea that America was supposed to cater to our faith? There are countries where people can't even type "Jesus" in an email, and yet our freedom to worship as we choose here isn't enough to make us grateful. We think have to have the entire country celebrate it our way, too.

People say this was a Christian country, and we've gotten away from that. Is my Rhode Island education that bad, or did the colonists NOT come here for religious freedom? Because I'm pretty sure that from the get-go freedom of religion was at least the idea our country was founded on. (Now in practice, that wasn't necessarily the case - like when they put people in stocks for not going to church...) Sure, Christian morals came into play in defining the laws that govern our country. But I don't think our founding fathers would be upset to see that America is a place where people are free to follow whatever form of religion they desire. And if they would be upset, they are hypocrites.

We have an entire month (and then some) of radio stations playing songs about Jesus. No, not all the songs are about Jesus. But the fact that any are is amazing. When was the last time you heard a Hanukkah, Kwanza, or Ramadan song playing on the radio? Secularized or not? But who do you hear whining? Not the Jews, not the Africans, not the Muslims...the Christians. The ones who pretty much own the December airwaves.

Since when does your ability to worship Jesus at Christmas depend on a cashier at Target saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays"? (And by the way, holidays comes from "holy days," so it is recognizing Christmas. It's just not recognizing Christmas exclusively.) Since when is your ability to celebrate impeded by someone calling their tree a "holiday tree"?

People in other countries die for their faith. And we complain about Santa songs infringing on our Christianity. Meanwhile, how often do we take advantage of the privileges we do have? To open our Bibles and read them any time we want? To tell other people why we celebrate Christmas? I know I don't do it as often as I ought.

Shame on us spoiled, self-centered American Christians.