Holidays

Christmas brings anything but joy to many people. Maybe you are one of those who dread Christmas. Maybe you wish Christmas would go away. Maybe you wish December would vanish into January. You are not alone.

Christmas is forced on us whether we like it or not. Retailers know they have to get it right during the Christmas period, which is a ‘make or break’ event, as poor sales in the last two months of the year can have a disproportionate impact on their profitability. Retailers must have Christmas and push it upon us.

You can't escape Christmas. Sappy Christmas music is played in the mall, in stores, and on the radio. Television broadcasts endless Christmas movies and specials. You can't escape Christmas. It's everywhere!

Yet, Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year. It is anything but a merry time for many people for several reasons.

First, it brings back happy memories that have been stolen away. I know a mother who lost her son in the prime of his youth in a tragic event. She doesn't celebrate Christmas any more. The memories of them gathered around the brightly lit tree on Christmas morning are too painful.

There is the lonely father whose home was torn apart by divorce. His ex-wife has the children this Christmas. There will be no visit from Santa Claus this year. No squeals of delight will fill the house with laughter. The house is still and quiet. There is a certain darkness for him this Christmas. He will go to his sisters home for Christmas dinner with her husband and children. He will bring gifts and try to borrow their joy to lift his spirit.

Then there is the poor couple. She works a minimum wage job.  His job barely pays the rent and utilities. There little Charlie Brown tree graces the sparsely furnished apartment in the projects. Christmas is a hard time for them too.

Some fear Christmas because of the dysfunction that flares up when family members get together.  "I just hope your brother doesn't ruin it again like he did last year.  I don't even know why we have to go.  It would be much better to have Christmas just between us." 

So how about you?  Is Christmas time merry or morose, received or rejected, full of joy or full of misery?  Do you dread Christmas with a "Bah humbug," or look forward to Christmas with delight.

There's not much you can do to avoid Christmas. It comes whether we like it or not.  And, if you don't like it, the angels' message of good news and joy isn't there.

But, the message remains. So take it and celebrate. Celebrate with joy all that is good about Christmas because it is excessively good. It is the day to rejoice in the birth of the One called womderful, counselor, the mighty God, and the Prince of peace. 

Christmas is filled with good and bad. Oh, if we could put aside the bad things and bad memories like commercialism, the sadness from loss, the lack of nice things to wrap for our loved ones, and our flawed families, and remember, remember the true meaning of Christmas at some point during that day. If we could make that journey from the field to Bethlehem and worship the Babe in the manger, we would know the joy of Christmas and be filled with the unfailing joy that our God delights to give us.  It is a joy that no one can take away. It is a joy that never fails because God never fails.  He chose to enter our night and bring the Light of life to every dark December.

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

-Charles Wesley