A meme crossed my path. I’m on social media so rarely, that it’s an unusual event. Especially for it to resonate with me enough to spark a desire to share about it.

When I was little there was a televised Christmas special where Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and a group of kids sang together. The special showed the kids’ time preparing for the concert, and as a kid who loved to sing, I delighted in imagining myself a part of the group. One of my favorite songs they sang had the message of “keep Christmas with you, all through the year”. That verse and memory has stuck with me ever since. Because of that, I am happy to hear Christmas music at any time. But of course, Christmas is more than just special music. More and more each year I realize the importance of keeping Christ with me all year long, the Christmas story and the Easter story and every other thing.

When I returned to Christ as an adult, Mom and I began attending church with her mom and sister even though it was a long drive away. I felt the desire in my heart to not only attend, but to become involved and to eventually join the membership. The first opportunity that came up was volunteering to be in the Christmas Cantata. The junior pastor made the announcement one Sunday morning in either late August or early September, I believe, with the joking declaration that it was the only excuse allowed for singing carols before December. That idea surprised me. Not that someone objected to the enjoyment of Christmas music outside of December, as I’d heard similar sentiments for years about Christmas décor and shopping promotions. “Christmas comes earlier each year” is often heard. And while I do understand some of the sentiment and even, at times, concurred that it was too commercialized and/ or rushing the present moment. However, I was surprised to hear a clergyman do so!

I, like many, don’t like the focus on shopping, shopping, shopping; and how stressful “doing Christmas right” has become for many. But, I do love Christmas and many of the aesthetics of the season. I love the songs, the sights, the scents. I love the decorations, the merriment, and the traditions. I love to shop for others, to wrap gifts creatively and anticipate their joy. To slow down; bake intricate cookies from scratch or go sledding and skating as a family. To sing from the heart without caring about how one sounds. Attending festive parties in fancy frocks; snuggling before the fire. To give sacrificially of time or money for the benefit of others, and witness society’s celebration of that goodwill.

Over the years, though, our family Christmases have become smaller and less elaborate. Not that they were “elaborate”. We didn’t always do all those things, even in the best years. We used to gather with Dad’s side of the family at Grandma’s house- nearly all her children and grandchildren together. My anxiety caused me to dread the crowding and chaos; even though I cherished the idea and wish, now, I’d been more involved with my cousins. But we’ve all grown, Grandma has since passed away, and her house sold. The extended family isn’t close (geographically, nor relationally) and there are no more Christmas get-togethers. At least not that I’ve known about. Mom’s side had no children besides my brother and I, so get-togethers have always been small, casual, and quiet. Most gifting has stopped, “Santa” died last year (Mom and I used to be Santa for each other) and only one person I know of still decorates. My space and budget constraints prevent me from indulging in my dreams of fully decked out halls. I don’t even have a real hall, anyway, in my small apartment that’s too crowded with furniture saved from Mom’s place to allow a Christmas tree. To make up for it, I’ve been known to take “field trips” to Hobby Lobby just to immerse myself in the Christmas decorations. Then, much like Anne Shirley, I cheer myself up by imagining my place differently. And I try to focus on doing the things I actually can do to make Christmas time special, because that is better than nothing. Winter can be long, cold and lonely without some special effort, on my part, to be of good cheer.

Still, the aesthetics of Christmas make my heart happy. They refresh my spirit and renew my joy. But it’s because of what they represent- Christ. Christ is the reason for the season. It’s His birthday! It’s the knowledge of Christ that makes any of it have meaning for me. It’s the reality and the increasing acknowledgement of what He has done, is doing and will do in my life that is the true root of my response to Christmas and it’s dressings. And that relationship and impact isn’t a one-month-a-year thing. So why should our celebration of Him be limited to a certain time? If we are Christians, God is our Father and Jesus our Brother. We honor and celebrate and enjoy and gift and serve our earthly families all year long, not just on their birthdays. So, why do we try to give less to our heavenly family, who are also our Lord, Savior and King?