The Spirit of Christmas
Yes, it’s that time of year again. They
started playing Christmas music the day after Halloween at Wal-Mart. I have to
admit that Christmas has never been one of my favorite holidays. In fact, most
times, I’m glad when it’s over. I’m not exactly a scrooge about it. But there
was a time in my life when I was single and spent way too many Christmases all
alone. Those were dark days in my life when I was self destructing and circling
the drain. Those days left a stain on my soul that lingers still. Even when I’m
with loved ones now on Christmas, I still feel that lonely abyss tugging at me.
The despair of those days haunts me always, and I’m especially reminded of it
when I see all the Yule Tide decorations start to go up.
I hear so much about the “Christmas Spirit”
and wonder why we only seem to want to have that at this particular time of the
year. I mean, what is Christmas Spirit anyway? And, if it’s so great, why
shouldn’t we have it all year round? We are supposed to be celebrating the
birth of our Savoir, Jesus Christ in December. Never mind that he was probably
born in late August or September. I see a lot of movies on the Hallmark Channel
about Christmas Spirit…they start, too, right after Halloween when all the
scary Halloween movie reruns have played out. I guess they don’t make too many
Thanksgiving movies. I like Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite holidays. You
sit around with the family and stuff yourself with good food. And there’s no
pressure to buy anybody any gifts on Thanksgiving. After a good meal you can
always enjoy a football game on TV. That’s my kind of holiday.
But back to all those Christmas Spirit movies
on Hallmark Channel….they seem to mostly be about Santa Claus and how, if we
don’t muster up enough Christmas Spirit this year, Santa will go out of
business. Either that or some of the movies are about relationships that
blossom after two people somehow find each other during the holidays usually
with the miraculous help of the good old Saint Nick who just happens to show up
at the right moment to eliminate all obstacles that were keeping the two lonely
hearts apart. So the message seems to be in all this that Santa is the reason
for the season, and it’s all about the presents. Or he’s a pretty good substitute
for cupid. Don’t get me wrong…I enjoy watching some of these fanciful and
touching tales on the Hallmark Channel. But I have to wonder where Christ is in
CHRISTmas these days. After all it’s not Santamas…although maybe December 25th
is really Santa's birthday. Someone needs to tell him in that case that he’s got it
all wrong, and you’re supposed to get gifts on your birthday not give them.
And lately, for fear of offending someone, we are not even supposed to say Merry Christmas in public. Well did't Jesus say, "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."? I would so much more fear that offense than worry about someone's tender feelings here. But, hey, you who know me also know that I've never been one to worry about being politically correct. I've never been offended by someone saying Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Sviata Vechera, etc, etc. or even the generic stand-in, Happy Holidays. So if me and millions of other well wishing Christians cheerfully wishing each other a Merry Christmas offends you, then maybe you might be happier living in a non-Christian country. Because I for one am not going to stop exercising my God given/Constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech. As for you of the Atheistic persuasion, the last bastion of official government sponsored atheism, The Peoples Republic of China, is fighting a losing battle of its own against a rising tide of Christianity not to mention the never eradicated pockets of Buddhism and areas of still practicing Muslims. So the window of opportunity is closing rapidly in that part of the world as we speak. You might be wiser to learn to just ignore us when we go about our Merry Christmas ways the same way we ignore Bill Maher and Richard Dawkins.
Anyway, this year - more so than any other
year - I have made a vow to have real Christmas Spirit. I plan on putting
Christ first in all that I do and not worry so much about Santa Clause and
presents. I know Wall Street is probably making a list of hit men about now and
checking it twice to see which ones live near me in case that idea catches on.
Heaven forbid that we all quit putting the focus on buying everyone we care
about a present. People would lose jobs, and Main Street
So this year, when you hear me tell you Merry
Christmas, just know that I mean it in the best possible way. May Jesus also be
the reason for your Christmas Spirit – this and every other time of the year.
Merry Christmas everyone, and may God walk with you throughout the coming year.
vs.
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