Adding reason to the season
This happened shortly before Thanksgiving. We were driving home from church on a Sunday afternoon and I was bopping my head to the Christmas tunes and thinking about how crazy it was that the holidays were right around the corner. And then, for some reason, it hit me.
"Do you even realize how backwards this all is?" I blurted.
"What is?" asked Mark.
"Christmas. The whole Christmas spirit thing. I mean we get all psyched up about Santa and buying gifts for each other and decorating the house and traveling. And that's all good. I like it, too. But who are we doing it all for?"
"I'm not sure I'm following you," came the cautious reply, because Mark knows my soapbox tone of voice and I'm sure he heard it coming.
"For us! That's who. We make these Christmas lists of things we want and then people we love buy them for us, and so it just turns into a big shopping trip of buying things for ourselves. Are we insane?"
"You're preaching to the choir on that one. Remember which one of us always wants to tone it down and which one of us is calling the other a scrooge."
"I know, I know. I'm the one pointing the finger. But it's ridiculous really. Is this really a reflection of why Christ came to earth? So we could put giant inflatable dinosaurs in Santa hats on our lawns and have parties and shop nonstop for a month? Really?"
"Yup. Pretty sick isn't it," Mark replied as if I were a small child just realizing the earth is round and not flat.
"Yes! I mean how are we so blind in this culture? There are people all around us who can't put food on their tables or even one gift under their tree for their kids and we're scratching our heads trying to come up with things we want that we don't already have!"
"Hon, I know. You don't have to tell me."
"This just ruins everything."
"What does?"
"Realizing how silly it all is. I don't want to be stingy and grumpy at Christmas. I want the kids to have great, magical memories of Christmas. But I think we need to find it in new places. What are we gonna do? This is big. I don't even know where to begin. Every stranger who meets our kids on the street asks them if they're ready for Santa to bring them presents. I mean, come on! I can't fight Santa. He's big and red and jolly. And Mark, he has elves!"
This was just the first of many conversations Mark and I have been having about Christmas this year. They all center on the ways Christmas got hijacked along the way, and when and how that happened. I've never in all my life felt so keenly the vapid, meaningless nature of a secularized Christmas as I have this year. It's time for Christmas to get an extreme makeover. Here's where I'd start:
When did the story of Santa become more engaging, more magical than the story of God coming to earth in human form? There is no greater story or miracle than God coming among us to show us how high and how deep and how wide is his love for us. And yet parents work overtime to convince their kids that a jolly fat man brought them new stuff via a flying sleigh, some reindeer and a chimney. Why not create some real magic in their lives? And share the original tale.
Since we can't ignore Santa in the economy of this world, we choose to share him with our kids a different way. We celebrate Sankt Nikolaus Abend/Tag, a German and Dutch tradition. It happens on December 5 and 6. The kids put their shoe outside their bedroom door the night of Dec. 5, and when they wake up, Saint Nicholas has left them little treats in their shoes. Then we read the story of the original St. Nick, a man who gave away all he had to benefit the poor. We've told the girls that Santa Claus is the modern day version of the real, historical St. Nick. It's fun to remember him by celebrating him on his own day, and it gives us a chance to talk about the spirit of generosity before Christmas day.
And speaking of gifts, when did the spirit of Christmas become all about getting the newest stuff for our already bursting at the seams homes? Mark said tonight, "I like to think of it this way. We're going to make Christmas about time and experiences instead of stuff." I love that. And I love how much more possibility there is in time and experiences. Stuff is finite, limited to whatever it is the big box stores think they can convince us we need or want. Time and experience--well, we can fill a lot more than a stocking with that.
Nothing left a worse taste in my mouth about Christmas than watching video clips of people attacking each other over electronics on Black Friday. Good gracious. When did things become more important than human beings? What happened to common courtesy? Our ability to reason?!
Finally, the twinkly lights and 24/7 Christmas tunes on the radio just aren't doing it for me this year. Mark and I have both commented that we don't really feel like putting out all the decorations or doing all the traditions. This last year has brought with it some great griefs and challenges in our lives and in the lives of the people we love the most. And the new year ahead appears to be serving up more of the same. I am realizing that while decking the halls with red and green and sipping egg nog and picking out the perfect tree and gifts are still things we'll do as a family this Christmas, they are not the things that will make this Christmas memorable.
Instead, I'm counting my blessings. I have three of them tucked safe in bed as I type this. Added to that, I'm so grateful for the extra time my dear friend Mandy has at home with her daughter and husband before the birth of their newest Little. Little Sophia has a significant heart defect and it has turned their world upside down; Mandy spent the weekend at the hospital, prepared to be there until Sophia is delivered. But she came home. It was so unexpected and so God. As Mandy and Doug continue to walk in faith and not by sight, we are rejoicing with them over each and every victory, knowing full well that there is a long, long road ahead.
This past year, I have had to ask God to deepen my faith and my understanding of his ways, simply because circumstances continue to upend all I think I know of him. This kind of heart work can be very disillusioning at first. But I have to believe that the wisdom I'll uncover will be of far greater value than preserving my misguided ideas about what is true and real and right.
There is a heaviness to the Christmas season this year for me. There is so much that is wrong in this world. And yet, I have to believe that the reason we have Christmas at all is because there is only one way to repair the damage. A small baby, God and man, the power of the universe contained in a mother's warm embrace. The world's great rescue. And the greatest love story ever told.
Take that, Santa.
"Do you even realize how backwards this all is?" I blurted.
"What is?" asked Mark.
"Christmas. The whole Christmas spirit thing. I mean we get all psyched up about Santa and buying gifts for each other and decorating the house and traveling. And that's all good. I like it, too. But who are we doing it all for?"
"I'm not sure I'm following you," came the cautious reply, because Mark knows my soapbox tone of voice and I'm sure he heard it coming.
"For us! That's who. We make these Christmas lists of things we want and then people we love buy them for us, and so it just turns into a big shopping trip of buying things for ourselves. Are we insane?"
"You're preaching to the choir on that one. Remember which one of us always wants to tone it down and which one of us is calling the other a scrooge."
"I know, I know. I'm the one pointing the finger. But it's ridiculous really. Is this really a reflection of why Christ came to earth? So we could put giant inflatable dinosaurs in Santa hats on our lawns and have parties and shop nonstop for a month? Really?"
"Yup. Pretty sick isn't it," Mark replied as if I were a small child just realizing the earth is round and not flat.
"Yes! I mean how are we so blind in this culture? There are people all around us who can't put food on their tables or even one gift under their tree for their kids and we're scratching our heads trying to come up with things we want that we don't already have!"
"Hon, I know. You don't have to tell me."
"This just ruins everything."
"What does?"
"Realizing how silly it all is. I don't want to be stingy and grumpy at Christmas. I want the kids to have great, magical memories of Christmas. But I think we need to find it in new places. What are we gonna do? This is big. I don't even know where to begin. Every stranger who meets our kids on the street asks them if they're ready for Santa to bring them presents. I mean, come on! I can't fight Santa. He's big and red and jolly. And Mark, he has elves!"
This was just the first of many conversations Mark and I have been having about Christmas this year. They all center on the ways Christmas got hijacked along the way, and when and how that happened. I've never in all my life felt so keenly the vapid, meaningless nature of a secularized Christmas as I have this year. It's time for Christmas to get an extreme makeover. Here's where I'd start:
When did the story of Santa become more engaging, more magical than the story of God coming to earth in human form? There is no greater story or miracle than God coming among us to show us how high and how deep and how wide is his love for us. And yet parents work overtime to convince their kids that a jolly fat man brought them new stuff via a flying sleigh, some reindeer and a chimney. Why not create some real magic in their lives? And share the original tale.
Since we can't ignore Santa in the economy of this world, we choose to share him with our kids a different way. We celebrate Sankt Nikolaus Abend/Tag, a German and Dutch tradition. It happens on December 5 and 6. The kids put their shoe outside their bedroom door the night of Dec. 5, and when they wake up, Saint Nicholas has left them little treats in their shoes. Then we read the story of the original St. Nick, a man who gave away all he had to benefit the poor. We've told the girls that Santa Claus is the modern day version of the real, historical St. Nick. It's fun to remember him by celebrating him on his own day, and it gives us a chance to talk about the spirit of generosity before Christmas day.
And speaking of gifts, when did the spirit of Christmas become all about getting the newest stuff for our already bursting at the seams homes? Mark said tonight, "I like to think of it this way. We're going to make Christmas about time and experiences instead of stuff." I love that. And I love how much more possibility there is in time and experiences. Stuff is finite, limited to whatever it is the big box stores think they can convince us we need or want. Time and experience--well, we can fill a lot more than a stocking with that.
Nothing left a worse taste in my mouth about Christmas than watching video clips of people attacking each other over electronics on Black Friday. Good gracious. When did things become more important than human beings? What happened to common courtesy? Our ability to reason?!
Finally, the twinkly lights and 24/7 Christmas tunes on the radio just aren't doing it for me this year. Mark and I have both commented that we don't really feel like putting out all the decorations or doing all the traditions. This last year has brought with it some great griefs and challenges in our lives and in the lives of the people we love the most. And the new year ahead appears to be serving up more of the same. I am realizing that while decking the halls with red and green and sipping egg nog and picking out the perfect tree and gifts are still things we'll do as a family this Christmas, they are not the things that will make this Christmas memorable.
Instead, I'm counting my blessings. I have three of them tucked safe in bed as I type this. Added to that, I'm so grateful for the extra time my dear friend Mandy has at home with her daughter and husband before the birth of their newest Little. Little Sophia has a significant heart defect and it has turned their world upside down; Mandy spent the weekend at the hospital, prepared to be there until Sophia is delivered. But she came home. It was so unexpected and so God. As Mandy and Doug continue to walk in faith and not by sight, we are rejoicing with them over each and every victory, knowing full well that there is a long, long road ahead.
This past year, I have had to ask God to deepen my faith and my understanding of his ways, simply because circumstances continue to upend all I think I know of him. This kind of heart work can be very disillusioning at first. But I have to believe that the wisdom I'll uncover will be of far greater value than preserving my misguided ideas about what is true and real and right.
There is a heaviness to the Christmas season this year for me. There is so much that is wrong in this world. And yet, I have to believe that the reason we have Christmas at all is because there is only one way to repair the damage. A small baby, God and man, the power of the universe contained in a mother's warm embrace. The world's great rescue. And the greatest love story ever told.
Take that, Santa.
Oh Sara...I couldn't agree more! Every time I go to the store I think 'look at all these people, like zombies, walking around, spending money, not even looking happy'...and the blow up decorations on people's lawns...Not to get super heavy, but it was if satan said, "hmmm...what can I best do to distract people during Christmas so that they don't even have time to think about the real meaning"...and then every year the distractions become more and more and more...
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder if my own parents started to feel this way...that as we become adults we finally SEE all that is wrong with Christmas, but feel the need to keep perpetuating the traditions because they were so much fun for us as kids...
I've really enjoyed the ornament projects I've been doing with the girls this year...and next year I hope to start working on memorizing parts of Luke 2...You're doing a great job. And, you're not alone!