‘Tis the Season to be Jolly
No other season means so much in my life as Christmas. And no other season has been shared so completely by so many generations in our family. When the holidays came around, as a youngster, Gramma sang “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger” interchangeably, constantly from sometime in October until March, when she replaced it by humming “Happy Birthday” just in time for her birthday and Daffodils to pop through the snow.
Gramma never decorated a Christmas Tree, she believed trees were a pagan tradition attributed to Christmas. But, she decorated her home for the holidays with bright lights and pretty garland, sent Christmas Cards, and set out a creche each holiday season in commemoration of the birth of Christ. Christmas to Gramma was more than a special time of year, it was the commemoration of the birth of Christ and a time when family came together and regained their understanding of God’s love. Christmas in Gramma’s home meant love, the kind that makes a home a home and family – a family. God’s love sent Christ to earth, and because of God’s love salvation was brought to the people of God’s creation.
Now, I know for many, it isn’t yet Christmas season. But to me, the leaves are falling and it’s Christmas season.
While others celebrate Halloween, I start thinking of ways to begin the celebration of Christmas early. While others think of ways to commercialize Christmas and make more money from the sale of gifts and “stuff” that makes up the holiday celebration for the “many” I’m busy thinking of ways to show love to family and friends.
I rarely spend more than a few dollars on specific gifts for Christmas, most gifts are for the person, chosen throughout the year, as they reveal things they need or something of specific value to that person. When my children were younger, I did the whole Santa Claus thing, with gifts under the tree, stockings hanging by the chimney (if we didn’t have one, we made something similar) and all the trimmings. But the kids always knew Christmas wasn’t about the gift.
When a friend visited for Christmas of 1999, he asked my youngest son what Christmas meant to him. He was pleasantly surprised by the answer when my son said, “Well it isn’t all the toys. It’s about Jesus and love.” Then only four years old, my son inspired a new Christmas Tradition… At some point during the holiday season, I often ask each person about the meaning of Christmas and take the time to listen to their answer.
One year, the consensus was complete, each child answered the same thing, “We just want to see Brenna and Elizabeth for Christmas. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on Christmas, before or after, we just want her to come home and spend some time with us.” Amazingly enough, even that Christmas wish was fulfilled as Brenna arrived on Saturday before Christmas and spent the evening, the next morning, and returned to Denver with Elizabeth. We’ve spent many Christmas’s together, all of us, before and after, but never has so few hours meant so much in our lives. What a treasure those hours were! Precious moments made complete by the presence of one delightful new member of our family and her mommy… home again.
Is it any wonder that my little miracle that Christmas has become as addicted to Christmas as her Gramma? Elizabeth, you’re always a treasure in Gramma’s eyes, precious, dear and adorable, but more than anything else in the world, my little angel – you are loved!
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