Here it is, the first week in December 2022! It’s beginning to feel and look like a Kansas-Nebraska December. Tuesday, it was cloudy, and the cold northern winds were blowing. North of us there were reports of slick roadways because of moisture falling and freezing. For me, it was a good day to stay inside my comfy home.
Maybe it was a good day to begin decorating our home for Christmas as many are now doing but I’m really not in the true spirit yet. I could have begun baking Christmas treats and freezing them. But no, I’m not in that spirit yet. I could have started on our Christmas greeting cards or holiday newsletter. But the spirit just isn’t there yet.
The Christmas Spirit is beginning to creep in though, as my husband and I attended a Cowboy Christmas show this week. A favorite singer of ours, Michael Martin Murphy, and his band put on a wonderful show where he did storytelling in between the songs. Most all of the songs and some of the story telling were centered around the true meaning of Christmas in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Of course, one of the songs he sang was the one he made popular, Wild Fire, and it was done so beautifully.
Murphy went on to speak about how much our parents had gone through as children during the Dirty 30s and were thankful to receive as a gift fruit, or maybe one toy from their parents. He told of one family years ago in “No Tree,” Texas not having a Christmas tree so the father brought home a tumble weed to decorate. They decorated it as they sang Christmas songs and danced together. He added that the family, as they thought back to that time, believe it was the best Christmas for them.
In today’s world, things have gotten so complicated when Christmas rolls around. Some schools and businesses have done away with calling it Christmas and just use the term “holiday.” Gifting of expensive material things has gotten everyone on edge as to what to buy, how much they have to spend, and the time it takes to find it. Gifting needs to be from the heart not the pocket book. Family members making the effort to come and visit, or at least make a call or send a card with a letter, means so much to the older generation. Baking them a favorite treat, creating a homemade gift is so meaningful. The children need time with their family. Books and Scripture read to them, a hug, and maybe a game played with them is more important.
Christmas is to be a time to love and be together, if possible. Recently it was suggested to read the book of Luke in the Bible, starting with chapter one on the first day of December with there being 24 chapters in Luke, it would make perfect timing.
Sure it’s alright to decorate for Christmas and to celebrate but remember that it wasn’t Santa Claus who began this celebration. It is the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we should celebrate every year at this time. What are we going to gift to Him?
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