Christmas is one of the most anticipated celebrations by children and adults alike; and while it has an official date on the calendar, it has become more than a one-day holiday. Christmas has taken on a life of its own and grown into a months-long season that now overlaps Thanksgiving and sneaks into stores long before Halloween becomes a chocolate lover’s memory.
It has truly become the celebration of celebrations and the holiday of holidays to many!
“Mr. Christmas” himself, Andy Williams, sang a song in the early 1960s called, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The lyrics paint a picturesque scene of the magical season with “kids jingle belling, parties for hosting, marshmallow toasting, caroling out in the snow, much mistltoeing, and hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near”….and don’t forget, “it’s the hap-happiest season of all.”
Add in some old favorite Christmas movies, as well as any Hallmark channel ‘love wins in the end’ types, and we begin to get a vision for what celebrating Christmas looks like in the world.
It seems that everywhere we turn, we see season of celebration scenarios depicting perfect families around perfect trees sharing perfect gifts and eating perfect feasts…all the while enjoying the “hap-happiest season of all.”
But sometimes that is one hard picturesque scene to live up to.
Sometimes life isn’t picturesque at all and instead of Christmas being a season of celebration, it becomes a holiday of hopelessness.
Sometimes we deal with situations where kids aren’t “jingle belling” because of divorce and distance or rebellion or lack of spare time from all of the activities they are involved in.
Sometimes there’s no money for “parties for hosting” or even enough spare change for “marshmallow toasting.”
And you can certainly forget “caroling out in the snow and much mistletoeing” with the busyness of life!
Mostly it’s extremely hard to have “glowing hearts with our loved ones” when our loved ones are no longer with us and the memories are too difficult and raw to deal with during this “hap-happiest season of all.”
The most wonderful time of the year can go from being a season of celebration to a holiday of hopelessness when we lose focus of what actually makes this season the most wonderful time of the year….that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:18-23
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 2:7-11
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit
Jesus came to be born…and to die…for you and for me. And HE is alive and HE is coming back…for you and for me.
Christmas is the celebration (mass) of Jesus (Christ) and that is truly something to celebrate! It is all about HIM and we do not have to live in the hopelessness of the holidays because HE is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus is the celebration of celebrations and the holiday of holidays! HE is the most wonderful of every day of every year!
Soli Deo Gloria
Meet the Blogger – Read Laura Robinson’s Bio
Laura is an avid reader, storyteller, and chaser of Jesus sharing bits and pieces of her view from beneath HIS waterfall of grace…all for the glory of God.
Very well written, Laura! It reminded me of Charlie Brown when Linus says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown” it’s all about Jesus.
Oh, you are so right! I do love it when Linus says that! Thank you!