I’ve just returned from a harrowing trip to Bass Pro in hopes to get another great picture of Will on Santa’s lap. Unfortunately, we left without seeing Santa and apparently without our Christmas spirit as well. On our way home I was honked at, cut off, and almost rear-ended (and, no, I’m not THAT bad of a driver). In my frustration and attempt to fight back tears, it really got me to thinking…
Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays (4th of July wins because that one is big for my family) and I LOVE all the traditions and family and gifts that come along with it. Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of facebook posts and hearing a lot of people saying that they’re going to remember the true meaning of Christmas this year and tone things back a bit. While I understand what they’re going for, I’ve been a little frustrated with it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about the real meaning of Christmas. Without CHRIST, there would be no reason for celebrating Christmas or anything else for that matter. Christ is everything to me and I cannot express my thanks for His coming as a baby to give me everlasting life.
However, I feel that in some way, these posts are saying that people like me who love to decorate and buy and wrap presents don't remember the true meaning of Christmas. And it simply isn't true!! I believe you can do both: remember the real meaning AND participate in the traditions this time of year brings.
My love language is gifts. This time of year, I love to get and to receive gifts…Christmas is the time of year I get to do what I love the most!! I love buying for other people and waiting with anticipation while they open. I love when people take the time to think about me and buy gifts they think I’ll love. It is the very essence of my love language and completely fills my “love tank” so to speak.
I don’t feel that my desire to buy and open gifts, spend time with my family, and follow old traditions while creating new takes away from the true meaning of Christmas. I do it all because Christ did for me. He gave me the most thoughtful gift of all – salvation. He gave me my family and my love language. I don’t think He looks down on me at all because I like to participate in Christmas traditions – religious and not.
Part of the joy of Christmas for me is that it’s the time of year (generally) when people are nice, thoughtful, and giving towards others. I always make it a point to say, “Merry Christmas” to all the checkers at the stores I frequent. I try to have a dollar or some change ready to put in the Salvation Army’s buckets. I buy gifts for less fortunate than I because God has blessed my family and we aren’t in need this year. I think the true meaning of Christmas is that we should be doing these things every day, not just during the Christmas season.
At Bass Pro this morning (the last weekday before Christmas), I went in chatting excitedly with Will about the deer and Santa. We went down to see Santa and immediately I was baffled by the anti-Christmas spirit everywhere. I went to get our “Bass Pass” (the ridiculous new system Bass Pro has in place to cut down on wait times – basically it just meant we couldn’t see Santa today). I couldn’t find where they were located and tapped an Elf on the shoulder to ask. You should have seen the dirty looks I got from the 50 people in line. I wasn’t trying to cut; just ask a question. Christmas Spirit, people. Let’s be nice!
Then, I had to stand in line to get our “Bass Pass.” By the time I got to the front, Will was mad and the lady behind the gingerbread house wasn’t in the mood to put up with cranky kids. We were given the next available Bass Pass (5:30pm) and told to move on. Wow. Merry Christmas to you, too!
In the parking lot, I couldn’t get out of my space because of the amount of cars filing up and down the parking lot. When I finally got a chance to get out, the lady in the spot next to me backed out at the same time I did and starting honking at me. So, I stopped to let her go (Christmas Spirit, Kristen…remember your Christmas spirit) and almost got rear-ended by the huge truck barreling up the parking lot aisle.
By the time I hit 40 hwy, I was shaking so badly I couldn’t tell if it was my hypoglycemia or my near death experiences. I had $4 left in the entertainment envelope, so I told Will we’d go get McDonalds for lunch. As I went to turn into the parking lot, the car in front of me was trying to turn the other way and couldn’t for all the cars coming. So, I was stuck out in traffic for a little bit. All was well until a car pulled up behind me to turn and started laying on their horn and flipping me off. As one would expect, they also turned into McDonalds. Needless to say, we went through the drive-thru because I didn’t think I wanted to cry in front of them.
Now I’m at home and I remember why I do most of my Christmas shopping online and try to be done before Thanksgiving. Where is the love for this holiday and what it represents??
There is nothing wrong with having a tree, surrounding it with presents, and baking into the late hours of the night. Nothing. However, there is something wrong when we forget that our Christmas spirit comes from Christ. He commands us to treat others with love. If we can’t do that…especially at Christmas, then we’ve lost the true meaning of life; not just Christmas.
