Published: November 26, 2007 03:41 pm            

God started all this fuss

It was God himself who started all of this Christmas fuss.

It’s his fault that we make such a big deal out of the holiday. It’s his fault that we talk about, think about, and plan around it for several months. It’s his fault that we exchange gifts with friends and loved ones.

Newspapers are already printing articles suggesting ways to avoid the holiday blues – depression brought on by the stress and high expectations. Our expectations are so high because no matter how difficult the holidays are, we will look back on them with nostalgia and fondness. Stress because we become even busier. Christmas is so important to us it amplifies our feelings. Is it over-commercialized? Of course, but that’s because everything is exaggerated this time of year. Again, it’s all God’s fault.

The tradition of giving gifts began for only one reason: gift-giving reminds us that God gave a pretty nice present that first Christmas. It’s almost comical that we give each other a plastic fish that hangs on the wall and sings some campy song to commemorate God becoming one of us, but that’s the long and short of it.

And gift-giving is one thing we Americans do well. We like receiving gifts, and we like to give them. We remember how great it felt, back when we were kids, to get that special toy we had been craving. So now we want our children to experience that, too. And we don’t stop there, either. We feel more charitable than in any other time of the year. We give so much, in fact, that our entire economy is based on Christmas sales. There are no atheists in fox holes and there should be none in retail stores, either. They call the Friday after Thanksgiving “Black Friday” because it is the day when retailers finally get into “the black” – finally begin to make a profit. If you like your money, you can thank God for Christmas because you just might not have any without it.

Christmas is so much more than Winter Break. It brings more than any Season’s Greetings or Happy Holidays ever could. It is a deep, rich celebration layered with emotion and tradition. It is the big dog on the calendar. It is the elephant in the living room. It spun the number one song of all time, “White Christmas”. It is wrapped in its own songs, movies, books, plays and magazines, in fact, like pretty paper on a package, It is a break in the work schedule that we look forward to all year long. It gives hope when nothing else will. Christmas is a big deal and that is exactly how it should be.

The lights and decorations make us feel warm inside. Perhaps that has something to do with a light dawning in the darkness. Something Isaiah wrote nearly 3,000 years ago. Take away the symbolism and the lights would never have twinkled.

Some say Christmas is about peace on earth, but it goes far beyond that. Some say it is about good will toward men, but that is only a fraction of the story. If it were only a fun holiday, it would likely last only one day. If it were just a break from work, it would be devoid of the emotion it brings. If it were only about parties, decorations or dinner, it probably would have died out long ago. Yes, Christmas is a big deal and that is because of what it means. Christmas is the celebration of Christ. God started all of this fuss and I am thankful to him for it.



Craig Harris writes a parenting column for the Palestine (Texas) Herald Press. Contact him at http://lcraigharris.blogspot.com.

        

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