This is a question I asked a few friends last night. Christmas is well and truly here, the count down to Christmas day is happening, menus are being planned, parties are being had, shopping is being done, making things, decorating etc. But why do YOU love it? What is it about Christmas that makes you do all these things? It is just cos everyone else is? Is it cos that's how you've always done it since you were a child? When Christmas day hits, whats on your mind? What are you counting down for during this advent period? I'm asking you, as I have no idea myself! It hit me last night that I love the decorating, the making, finding wonderful gifts, the meals, the baking, the community lunches. I love handing over a gift I'm excited about and I love receiving something I know someone else is excited about. But none of that has anything to do with Christmas does it? Or is that Christmas? I want to start finding my own love for Christmas based on what I believe, on what I think the significance of this time is, I want Christmas day to hit me in a way it hasn't before. What am I counting down for? Lunch..i eat lunch everyday..church, Im already part of a church community during the week, family gathering..again, this is a regular occurrence. I love giving, which besides on a birthday isn't something that really happens, so that's good. But why am I giving? What is all this about? I've loved Christmas since I can remember. But as I no longer get the excitement and joy of seeing my stocking fill up half way through the night, and as leaving mince pies and carrot sticks out doesn't mean anything to me now besides, what I waste, I could be eating that, i'm trying to figure out my own, new, love for something that I do think is special, and that is a birth of a baby. However it happened, however he was conceived, and how ever you/I feel about this baby, a birth is a celebration. And i guess the difference between this birth and that of any other, is what you believe. For me, I do believe in Jesus and what his life looked like, and id like to think he was a baby born into the world like you and me. And as I love to hang bunting, plan a menu, and shop for Percys, mums, sister, brothers, friends birthdays and celebrate them, I feel that's why I love Christmas. I'm ok with celebrating involving food,decorating and gift giving. This is how we celebrate. But i don't think i've ever experienced a Christmas where i've really thought about why we are doing this. Don't worry, i've not been living under a rock my whole life, I know that Christmas is about baby Jesus. i've read it, seen plays, the local carols remind us of the story, church on christmas day reminds of the story but that doesn't mean it means anything to you. I want to find it for me, not just cos i get told it by someone else. I've been feeling lost, like just why are we doing all this? Id love to know why you love Christmas. I guess, as i write this, i think i've found it. I think i answered my own question. a birth is a celebration of life. regardless of what a person does with their lives, and if you even believe it, a life is a life. Maybe Christmas is just a birthday party? I wont sing happy birthday, but if I look at what we are actually celebrating, then yes, I will celebrate. As i recently learnt of the death of a person in my community who for me,also lived a life like no other, I celebrate Christmas day as a thank you for his life too.
I think ive been feeling bad that christmas doesn't really matter to me. Ive not been fake over the years pretending to like it, I do. But ive never really had a reason why besides 'its christmas'. My count down is now this. I dont really know the birth date of Jesus, but as i do celebrate his life, I will do so on christmas day. I will enjoy eating and singing carols. I will enjoy handing over a gift, with love to someone I love. I will reflect and be thankful for the birth of a child. I know this all sounds so obvious, like thats exactly what everyone else does, well I haven't, i haven't really got it or really cared. I haven't really felt the significance for myself, ive just gone along with everyone else. But I plan for this year to be different. And maybe I need to learn that its also ok for it to not mean anything at all. That maybe just the family traditions, memories, the festive-ness bring me joy, and thats ok.
Please share why you love christmas. What does it mean to you? And if it means nothing, and your ok with that, please let me know. I'd love to know how people are feeling but remembering this is a joyful time, however its spent and what ever we believe.
Taz
Taz, I love Christmas because it's a time of the year where something seems to unfurl in people and open their hearts up to other people. Christmas draws people to one another like nothing else really does. It is a timeless legacy that magically appears around this time every year. Yes, people get crabby as they fight for parking spots or wade through the crowds, but if you look past that you see people smiling at strangers, considering the poor and vulnerable, putting presents under the wishing tree, and wishing people a merry christmas that at other times of the year they would have walked past without looking twice at, and putting less priority on 'schedules' and more focus on making sure they share some part of this season with all the people they love.
ReplyDeleteChristmas gives me hope, that underneath it all, love endures, and wins. It gives me a glimpse of an eternity that I am not even sure I otherwise believe in.