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What do you mean, were did Christmas go, you ask. It is the 25th of December
this year just like always. Look, its even marked with a little wreath on
my calendar. Look. What do you mean, where did Christmas go?
I am sure that most of you are in the midst of planning, buying and decorating
for this most important holiday time. Christmas is observed not just here
in the United States, but all over the world. In every culture and language.
I think at first blink that sounds really awesome. The whole world observing
the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But lets look a little deeper.
The next time you go to the store or to the mall, look at the store fronts.
You see Christmas trees, artificial snow and Santa Clause’s galore.
Brightly wrapped packages, colored lights and trimmings all of which remind
us of getting and receiving presents and hopefully families gathering together
for a Yule quaff and good times. However, don’t you find it just a little
odd that when you go to the store or the mall, you don’t see anything
that tells you why we have the holiday in the first place?
If you look hard enough, you might see a manger scene in miniature, or in
plastic in front of a church, but other than that, there is absolutely nothing
to remind us of what the season is all about. How did the reason we have
this holiday in the first place, get so mixed up? How did we get from Savior
of the world to a funny little guy in a red suit, running the length and
breadth of the earth in one night handing out toys and goodies to all the
little boys and girls. My grandson brought me a list the other day that would
put stretch marks on my charge card. He doesn’t just want a tree, he
wants a tree room. There needs to be a lot of room to put all the things
he is expecting to receive this Christmas. This feeling is echoed in every
house around the country by child and grownup alike.
Lets go a step further. Years ago, when you bought something at a store for
Christmas, the clerk always said “Merry Christmas”. Last year as
I did my shopping, I purposely told the clerks “Merry Christmas”.
When I did I got a lot of stares, people looked at me like I grew an extra
ear on my face. Others smiled and shook their heads, while a very, very few
answered back with “Merry Christmas”. Every once in a while I would
get “Seasons Greetings”, but that was about it.
I guess what we have instead of a profound deep meaning holiday is a 31 day
buying and selling blitz to people who feel obligated under various reasons,
to buy something, wrap it in some glittering paper and give it to the person
they feel obligated to. Names are put on lists. You have the “A”
list through “D” list of people who have done things for you through
the year. The paper boy, the lawn boy and of course don’t forget pool
boy. There are the bosses and the bosses’ wives, the second cousins
of the bosses who are spending the holidays and you don’t feel comfortable
sending over packages and leaving anyone out. You have your co-workers, and
of course you always have that one person who you despise at work and it
grinds you to give them anything, but if you leave them out......... The
A list get gifts from name brand stores while the D list get whatever can
be picked up at discount. We are so involved in who we are buying for, we
have forgotten why we buy and give presents at this time of the year. The
simple truth is, its an act of love. When you select and give a gift, it
should be done, not out of any obligation, but out of love. Isn’t the
true story of Christmas the giving of the ultimate gift. For God so loved
the world, that he gave...........
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