Two things got me thinking about the Spirit of Christmas. The first was yesterday I finally made it out to Barnes and Noble to pick up my new calendars. When I arrived at the mall parking lot I had forgot how crowded the parking lots get during the gift buying season. I made it into the store and through the line without any incident. It was in the car leaving the parking lot that I ran into the Cranky Elf. Chuckles. Yes, the traffic was bad. As I was trying to turn out of my row I knew it was going to be tricky. The first car passed me, the second car coming was leaving no room and so I decided to inch out and squeeze in. When I pulled out she gave me the "what the hell do you think you are doing" gesture. I smiled and waved back.
I have witnessed this ungenerous and negative behavior before during the gift buying season with packed parking lots, crowded stores and the longest lines ever. And it makes me wonder what Christmas does to some people. Are we so stressed out about buying our loved one tokens of our love for them that we forget why we are buying gifts? To celebrate the Life and Teachings of Christ.
I am sure I am preaching to the choir and you don't make these conflicting choices not to be kind and let some in your lane or grumble with stressed out customer service. But maybe we can think about being extra kind and think of ways to balance out the Cranky Elves.
Now the second thing that made me think about the Spirit of Christmas was a friend who said her 7 year old daughter was excited about Christmas and getting presents, but she had forgot that Jesus was the reason for Christmas. I think many families have this issue. Our world is decorated with snowflakes, Santa and snowmen. But far and few between are the reminders we are celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Coming from a Baha'i family, growing up my family did not exchange gifts on Christmas. I heard many people while I was growing up say "we don't celebrate Christmas." As an adult and because of my love of the Life and Teachings of Jesus, I try to say instead, we don't exchange gifts. Because I am happy to celebrate the birth of Jesus. His birth was a long awaited event. His life taught humankind spiritual practices that moved us forward in our human evolution. His sermon on the mount always makes me wish everyone on earth could decide to attempt to follow his guidance, because the world would be heaven on earth if we did.
When my first child was old enough to speak we had to discuss Christmas and Santa. I bought a board book about the birth of Jesus, telling the story of the Angel coming to Mary to tell her she was with child. The journey to Bethlehem on a donkey. And giving birth in a stable! The guiding star and the three wise men bearing gifts. These gifts of love and adoration. That's why I gave my daughters a gift from Santa each year. To celebrate the birth of Jesus, to honor His life, His death and His teachings that inspire us to be the best we can be.
Both girls were about kindergarten age when they asked if Santa was real. I asked them if they wanted to know the truth. They said yes. It was a hard discovery to find out Santa was not what they believed him to be, a magical person sending gifts to all children on earth, but their mama.
This year I will be giving them their Santa gifts early as they are with their father, step mother and sister on Christmas. I had debated whether or not to continue my Santa tradition with them now that they get Christmas presents from their father and step mother and step family. But the Santa gift is my tradition of celebrating the gifts Jesus gave to the world. And I think I have to look for another book on the Birth of Jesus, it must have got lost in our move!
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13-14
Beautiful, Leigh Anne.
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