Tinsel and lights and reindeer, oh my!

Looking for ways to enrich our relationship with Jesus doesn’t mean we ignore the more worldly traditions of Christmas. After all, how can we be a light to the world if we insulate ourselves from it?

Just look on any residential street shortly after Thanksgiving, and you see a magical transformation. Dark houses suddenly twinkle with lights – sometimes hundreds and even thousands of them. Displays adorn rooftops and yards. Have you ever thought about how much time it takes to decorate so lavishly?

In some states, entire communities dedicate themselves to creating displays that dazzle the eyes and bring out the child in each of us. Scenes play out before us in a blur of light as we race through the season.

While our focus should be on the true meaning of Christmas, I sometimes think we miss opportunities to just enjoy the amazing spectacles in our own back yards.

One of my fondest memories is driving through our city, enjoying all the tinsel and lights and reindeer with my children, accompanied by singing Christmas songs – usually sung loudly and off key. It’s become a tradition that my grandchildren now enjoy.

We’ve also participated in our share of Christmas presentations. One year, our church decided to create a living nativity. Invariably, the three nights chosen ended up being the coldest and wettest in our small desert town. We were all overwhelmed with the community response. Traffic backed up on one of the major thoroughfares as people flooded the area. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

Our town also has the longest running Christmas parade in Arizona. Each year, thousands line the street to enjoy floats and bands. It snarls traffic and makes getting there and leaving a challenge even for the most patient. It too has become a tradition for our entire family, despite broken bones and loved ones no longer with us.

The point is that merriment and excitement are all around us. All it costs is a little time.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven … a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4, NIV

Christmas Blessings, Francine

1 comments:

    On 1:39 PM Magdaleine said...

    One of the important parts of Old Testament life was the feasts of celebration. God WANTS us to enjoy and celebrate. He's given us many reasons to do so and Christ's birth is certainly one of them. Good post, Francine!

     
 
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