Of Christmas and Culture

As I write there are three days until Christmas – the tenth since the start of the millennium (as most of us count); the two-thousand-ninth anniversary of the birth of Jesus. It is a festive time in our culture when we celebrate the angelic proclamation of peace and goodwill. A time of gift giving in honor and memory of the ultimate gift we received at the first Christmas, and feasting for the joy and hope the amazing gift provides.

My family thinks that I don’t really like Christmas. They think I am a humbug, because I am not a fan of all the hubbub and frantic chaos of the preparations and shopping and wrapping of gifts. And if that is your definition of Christmas, then my family is right, and you would think I am a humbug, too.

But in reality, I love Christmas. I love that God, the creator of the universe, loves me, a Nobody but for the value He placed by the price He paid. I love that He became human so He could show us his love. I love that He took my sin upon Himself to redeem me from Sin and Death – although I am saddened that the cost was so high. I love Christmas – I just don’t love what it has become in our culture.

Well, that isn’t completely true. I do love presents. I love that my family makes consummate effort to be together at Christmas, some traveling thousands of miles to do so. I love presents. I love all the baking and candy making and comfort food. I love presents. I love the wonderful, creative ways the Christmas story is shared in music and movies and television and churches. And did I mention I love presents?

I also love giving. I wrestle all year with my natural bent toward self, but at Christmas my redeemed nature gains strength somehow, and I give and experience joy for it. That’s another thing I love about Christmas; the spirit of Christmas motivates me to behave in a more Christ-like way. Not only am I redeemed by the ultimate sacrifice and story of Christmas, but Christmas redeems me again and again, year after year after year. That’s what I love about Christmas.

Merry Christmas!