Christmas Season
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! With just under two weeks to go until Christmas, it’s getting real. Shopping, Decorating, Scheduling, Cooking, Cleaning, Wrapping, and the always delightful concerts and other public events, and if you’re lucky, Christmas parties…the season is here.
It’s no wonder people sometimes forget the real reason for the season. But, you can keep your focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, and do all the things too, if you try.
It seems we get distracted so easily. And that doesn’t just apply to Christmas. In life, we get busy with work, and other immediate happenings, and perhaps push family and friends to the back burner. What a shame!
I’m married to a grinch. He fusses about everything! I don’t understand why. I don’t ask him to bake…he just reaps the rewards. I don’t expect him to clean…he doesn’t’ do much of that. I certainly don’t expect him to shop or wrap presents or anything like that.
Saturday, he said that if in my shopping I found something for me to buy it and wrap it up from him. I reminded him we have a trip planned, and that is our gift to each other. The next day he asked if I had purchased anything. I reminded him again, that no, and I’m not planning to.
We are trying to have small Christmases these days, so there’s not so much shopping, and stressing, over the perfect gifts. But, then again, if you’re only buying one or two, it’s that much more important that they be special. It’s tough.
I’m at an age I don’t need any more STUFF. We downsized a couple years ago, and don’t have a place for stuff, so I think that others may feel the same way. I don’t want to buy something just to have something to give. I want it to be heartfelt.
But that’s not easy.
On top of that, Emily has a birthday between now and Christmas. Of course for birthdays we generally just do a meal for the birthday girl (or guy), and that’s it. With her being the furthermost away geographically, that doesn’t even always work out.
Getting Emily here for birthday is not always easy, and you can imagine getting six families together for Christmas. See, we have five children. One is single; the rest have their own families. So when can the whole family get together? One works at the sheriff’s office, one’s an emergency department nurse. They’re not necessarily off for Christmas. Then those of us who have “normal” schedules have to work on the days that are not holidays…like the day after Christmas.
Did I mention Christmas being on a Wednesday is difficult both in my job and in my private life. But what’s a person to do? Adapt, that’s what. That’s what life is all about anyway. Adapting to the situation, whatever might come your way.
The Christmas season is a good time to remember that we must be willing to adapt. We must look with love on our brothers and sisters, and remember, when things get hectic, to slow down and remember a child born in a barn. After all, that’s all that really matters.
The gifts are symbolic, but Christmas can be celebrated without lavish gifts and breaking the budget. The baking is not necessary, but may be fun. The shopping…limit what you do.
Give what you give with a pure hearts, and remember the reason for the season, and all that really matters will get done.