From time to time, I will run into someone who says, “I am kind of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas. I just don’t like it all that much.”
At this point, I usually start making a few assumptions about this person. For instance, I presume that they hate puppies. And that they give out fruit and toothbrushes to the trick or treaters in their neighborhood.
Okay, well, maybe that’s a bit much.
I don’t actually think that non-Christmas people are evil or soul-less. But I will say, I do have a hard time understanding their point of view.
I mean, I really just want to sit them down, look them in the eyes and ask them …
• Have you ever walked through your house, late at night, enjoying the utter silence and the glow of the Christmas tree?
• Have you ever taken a minute to watch families as they are walking to their cars after the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church — with the kids literally bouncing around their parents’ legs, completely overjoyed with thoughts of the next morning?
• Have you ever hidden an Elf on the Shelf?
• Have you ever ridden down the road, on a cold December night, with the song “Please Come Home for Christmas” blaring through the speakers in your car?
• Have you ever seen the look on someone’s face when they receive a gift that they really wanted — but weren’t expecting?
• Have you ever eaten a candy-cane-shaped pretzel, covered with white chocolate?
• Have you ever seen Clark Griswold watching old movies in his attic or George Bailey fall into the swimming pool while dancing with Mary?
• Have you ever stood in the sanctuary with your fellow believers and sang Oh Come All Ye Faithful during a morning worship service just days before Christmas?
• Have you ever sat in the den, on a random weekday morning during your Christmas break, sipping coffee while your dog gently snores on the couch beside you?
• Have you ever taken your children on a ride around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights?
• Have you ever decorated a tree, reliving the memories that each ornament brings?
• Have you ever pulled up at a relative’s house that is overflowing with cars in the driveway, knowing that laughter will soon fill the room and delicious food will soon fill your belly?
If you answered “no” to each one of these questions, perhaps you could give them a try.
Or maybe it’s not that simple. Perhaps you HAVE done many of these things, but none of them are enough to put you in the Christmas spirit or bring you any Christmas joy.
If that is the case, then let’s try a different approach.
As Christmas draws closer, I challenge you take a few minutes to ask yourself these questions, which are far more important than the previous set:
• When was the last time that you took a minute to really think about how overjoyed the shepherds must have been that night?
• When was the last time you took a minute to consider how courageous both Mary and Joseph were, despite the uncertainty that was surrounding them?
• When was the last time you took a moment to truly contemplate the awesomeness of the fact that God — the God of the universe! — sent his Son to live among us on earth?
• When was the last time you took a few moments to praise God for who He is?
• When was the last time when you took a few minutes to think about that little baby and the sacrifice that He would one day make for all of us?
My hope for you, this Christmas, is that you will take the time to do some of these things.
Even if you don’t care for Christmas music; even if you can hardly stand the thought of Christmas movies (and this goes for the classics as well as the surprisingly beloved movies on the Hallmark channel); even if you just honest-to-goodness dislike the whole Christmas season, I hope that you will take the time to rejoice about the birth of our Savior in your own way.
Praise Him. Thank Him. Adore Him.
When you do so, you’ll be immersed in the real Christmas spirit. B&R