I was just going into a Christian 2nd hand shop and stopped to admire the lovely nativity scene in the front window. Great display - nice message... then I walked through the door to be confronted by a nearly 7 foot (over two metres) Father Christmas. A really 'in your face' moment.... how jarring! Then I noticed a sign pinned on him - 'Not for Sale'!!! Whatever next???? I think WE have sold out to the jolly fat red man. Sigh....
My antidope to all this is three things.
1) give to the needy... after all that is who Jesus came for. We should give more away than we spend on gifts and food for family. For many years our Christmas Day was spent doing a local community dinner for those on their own. Deeply satisfying.
2) worship deeply - and we do this mostly through going to a choral evening of lovely music and allowing our hearts to be lifted up in worship. Sometimes we arrange a time of music and reflection at our house or at the church. Giving a whole evening to pondering on the wonder of his coming is barely enough... Every year I say 'I will do a 5 day retreat next year instead of all this rushing about!' But as we are moving house shortly, it will not be this year.
3) celebrate family... Somewhere around the weeks before and after Christmas we do family things. It no longer has to be 'on the day'. What a relief. And we spread them out - with no pressure - just the joy of connecting and food and making memories.
Find some joy and harmony .... and mostly find him in this season. Otherwise it is a contradiction.
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