Christmas used to be my favorite holiday…by far. I used to look forward to it for months. The strains of Christmas music could be heard coming from my office and home as early as August or September. This is partly because I was working on planning for the Christmas season at that church, but I also just loved everything about it.
I still love Christmas, but when my mom died (almost six years ago), I was surprised that I started to become unexpectedly ambivalent toward the Christmas season. She was a great gift-giver. She baked and cooked mouthwatering delights—all the tastes and smells of my childhood. She dressed for the season. She was generally a joyous presence, and it was fun to celebrate with her. Without her, it just wasn’t the same. When December came around, I still enjoyed the season, but I was no longer full of anticipation months in advance. I was still planning for the season at church, but it was harder to look forward with eagerness.
As this general melancholy became a pattern from year to year, I had to grapple with its meaning. What I determined (at least in part) was that my focus at Christmas time had shifted away from the celebration of Jesus and had become centered on family and memories.
That is why I know that it is a temptation to miss Christmas by following our own agenda. If you are looking for “vibes” during the Christmas season, you are missing out on the fuller reality of what Christmas has to offer—the joy of celebrating Jesus and His incarnation in His first advent. As Christians, we add to that the joy of looking forward to His second advent when He comes in power and majesty.
When I turn my focus to those truths, I feel the excitement of the season return. Now, though, it is based on something with more permanence than nostalgia and tradition (and vibes!)