Christmas
Christmas was always a special time in our house. I remember the different traditions building up to Christmas Day. My mom would make wreaths to place on the graves of four dead relatives. We would all pack into the station wagon and take them to the cemetery.
We did all kinds of holiday crafts and baked cookies. Mom would decorate the house, but there wasn’t a tree yet. My parents had a tradition that Santa brought the tree, along with the train garden. On Christmas Eve night my dad would go out with my cousin to get a Christmas tree. They would decorate the tree and set up the train garden that evening. It was like Santa did it all; he brought the presents and the tree. He would get out our grandfather's train and models. Santa would set up everything!
The house always smelled like cookies were baking. We would get Christmas cards ready. When I was little I really liked talking to Santa Claus. I knew he would give me some good presents. Throughout the year my siblings and I only got things like school supplies and school clothes, but for our birthdays and Christmas, the presents were always special.
When I was a child I spent a lot of my time standing in the corner because it seemed like trouble would follow me if I wasn’t occupied, especially if I didn’t have structured time. I got myself in all kinds of trouble, trouble with my brother, trouble with my sister, trouble everywhere.
There is an old wise tale that naughty kids get switches and coal for Christmas. One year my parents decided to play a joke on me. My siblings and I came down early one Christmas morning. There was a pile of switches near the Christmas tree. Without a blink of an eye, I gathered up all those sticks and opened up the exterior door. I threw the sticks outside. Then I put my hands on my hips and demanded to know where my presents were. My parents had no idea how I knew that the switches were for me! We still laugh about this!
I did not grow up in a Christian household. We spent little time in church, just occasional Christmas or Easter services. My mom did put me in the VBS program. She needed a break. We did have special Christmases, but they weren’t centered around the birth of Christ. As a Christian, Christmas is even more special now, more special than talking to Santa Claus.
Now I love to give gifts to others. I like to find special things for people. I like to find special stuff for my nieces and nephews. As my mom and dad get older it’s more difficult to find things for them, so I try to spend time with them.
Even with how special Christmas was when I was a child, it doesn't compare to the beauty of the gift of our Lord and Savior. I pray that more people can come to understand that magical gift, a gift that can radically transform people's lives; we only have to repent for our simple ways and ask for the grace of salvation through Jesus Christ, acknowledging His death on the cross and His resurrection. I pray that your Christmas is special. I pray that more people understand the hope that is in Jesus Christ.
