thoughts on the Christmas Season

I suppose I could have written an article regarding my opinions on this topic months ago.  However, I felt today was a perfect time to state what I have been feeling this year.

Why is it that people spend two months (November 1st) listening to Christmas music on the radio, yet tear down their tree and other holiday decorations the day after Christmas?  Why do people become overpowered by the commercialism in our society, so that they are tired with Christmas when December 25th arrives?

I understand the need to get people "in the mood" for the blessed holiday, that is what Advent is for.  However, with all the inundated wrappings and trappings, I believe the true celebration is lost.  Oh yes, many say that CHRIST is what CHRISTmas is all about.  But I'm sure many (or most) of them are part of the "100 days of Christmas" celebration on TV, or those that decorate for Christmas immediately following Halloween.

As a Facebook user, I noticed a lot of status messages that said, "taking down the Christmas decorations" in the last week.  In fact, a few "friends" were thankful to have the decorations out of the way on the 26th of December.  I wonder if Santa and the secular celebrations will push out the true Christmas season at some point.

The song is called, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."  These twelve days are not before Christmas, they are the days that come after the birth.  In the Christian calendar, these twelve days are supposed to encompass the time it took the wise men to reach Jesus.  We know that it took much longer than a week (or 12 days) for the men to reach Jesus, but our tradition states that these 12 days are part of the Christmas calendar.  We don't necessarily give our "true love" gifts each of the 12 days, like those that celebrate the 8 days of Hanukkah; but maybe we should pay more attention to the spiritual side of the holiday.

Today we had a sermon on gifts titled, "Beyond the Wrapping."  Our pastor made it clear that we all have gifts that God gave us, and we need to share them.  Not just those gifts that money can purchase, and not just gifts that are given at Christmas.  Rather gifts that can be given all year 'round.  What are your spiritual gifts?  Each one of us is unique, and each one of us has a unique spiritual gift.  If you are wondering what yours is, you can go to various websites and take a quiz.

Our pastor then read an excerpt of this following poem by Edgar Guest.  Guest wrote for the the Detroit Free Press, and was called the Peoples Poet.

At Christmas
A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it’s Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I’d wait
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.