Commentary - Please, don’t rush the season . . .

 

Just a thought if you please . . .

Please don’t rush the Christmas season . . .

I know, I know – the tree needs to come down, ornaments need to be stored, houses need to be cleaned . . . I know . . . I know . . .

But why??

Growing up in my house Santa put the tree up while we were at Christmas Eve services. They were long, filled with prayer, worship, song and “The Play”. While the children were anxious to return home to either open presents or put out the milk and cookies and get to bed to try to sleep . . . the service was unhurried and rich in meaning and tradition.

For us, returning home saw my dad waiting and presents around the tree. I have few memories of these evenings honestly as my dad died when I was 7 just prior to Christmas. I can look as I type this and see his last present to me sitting atop the hutch – a spinning globe that was part of a game than neither my mom or I could ever bring ourselves to learn.

Still, our tradition of presents after church continued while tree decorating became a joint effort between her and me. Perhaps she is the one who taught me to savor Christmas – the entire 12 days of Christmas. In fact, mom loved Christmas trees and they usually remained standing until the needles easily fell and clogged the vacuum as they were picked up.

And so it is in our home – our tree usually remains up until the middle/end of January. Opened presents usually remain as well – as do the memories of this year and past years.

What’s the hurry . . . .?

Time passes quickly . . . please, savor time spent with family, friends and Him. Sometimes if feels like folks try to put Christmas “behind” them . . . when it truly should be in front of us each and every day. “He is the reason for the season” and for our family the Christmas tree has always incorporated Him in the decorations both hanging from the tree as well as the Manger scene below. Ornaments are relics of our lives – handmade or purchased with specific purposes. They incorporate our worship of Him and the love of “us”.

Try a different tradition . . . leave the tree a bit . . . let the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year’s die down . . . then take a Sunday afternoon to slowly take down the tree, savor each ornament, each memory . . . . there’s plenty of time . . .

What’s the rush??