Holidays are Coming

There's a topic on the forums that has me thinking. It's a pagan forum, so naturally, they're discussing Christmas, taking Jesus out of Christmas, putting Jesus back in Christmas, the best way to wish people happy holidays, and how to avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder. All very valid, very informative topics.

But, it got me thinking about whether or not I'm giving up what I believe, by celebrating Christmas the way I do.

I love Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving, my tree goes up, with a big party to celebrate. Right up until Christmas, I wish people merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Yuletide Greetings, Happy Hannukah, and Happy Kwanzaa. I sing Christmas carols, each and every one, at the top of my lungs, to the 6 or so Christmas CD's on repeat in my CD player. On Christmas Eve, my family and I go to my Grandparent's house and open presents with them and my cousins. At 11:00 pm, we go to one-hour candlelight church service with them. Then, we go home, and go to bed, and sometime in there, "Santa" comes to fill our stockings and put out presents. Then, my little brother and I sneak out of bed at, oh, 3 or so, check to see what's in our stockings, and fall asleep on the couches, staring at the Christmas lights. We open presents, and go eat Christmas dinner with my grandparents.

Each and every one of those things could have a very Christian meaning. Most carols are Christian songs, I wish people Merry Christmas, I even attend church (for the one day of the yearg). But, I've never associated Christmas with Christ, or God, or Jesus, or Christianity.

Christmas always meant family. It meant joy. It meant Goodwill that's seriously lacking during the rest of the year. It meant donating coats, and canned food, buying a present for a name on the angel tree, carolling at the nursing and indigent homes. It meant making a little extra effort to smile at the person passing you on the sidewalk. It meant helping a lady with a newborn carry a bag up to her apartment. It meant laughing with friends during the inevitable snowball fight during carolling, and sitting with them around a lit tree drinking hot cocoa, thankful to be warm and toasty together. It meant seeing family members that I only see once a year. It meant seeing my Grandparents happy. It meant sharing a secret moment with my little brother, trading a piece of candy for an orange in the stockings, watching Mom and Dad laughing at my little brother making a wrapping-paper pile and then diving into it. It meant dressing up, Dad and Grandpa and the other men watching hunting shows on TV, Twit and Lendell chasing after the two youngest cousins to keep them from getting into things. It meant a kitchen overflowing with 5 generations of women making a meal for the people they cared about.

Even the church service was never about church, it was about the smile on Grandma's face when she got to show everyone off to the community. It was a prayer offered up to anyone willing to listen for a safe, happy, healthy year; one a little less violent, a little less painful, a little more loving for an entire planet in desperate need of those wishes.

I think we would all be a bit better off if it could be like this for everyone. If we could stop feuding about who's right and who's wrong. If we could let everyone celebrate their reasons, without adding our own agendas. If we could push for the peace, joy, love, and harmony that we sing about, and hang ornaments of. If we would stop taking offense, and start giving time.

The holidays are coming, and I propose a challenge: This year, let your actions speak for the words you use. If you ask for respect for your religion, offer the same to others. If you sing "Peace on Earth, good will towards men", drop some spare change in a Salvation Army bucket. If you string your house with lights, light up a child's eyes by sending a gift to a local family in need of help.

The Holidays are Coming. There are choices to be made. Will you say Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Yuletide Blessings, Happy Kwanzaa?

Or, will you be a living example?