Christmas Season

As we enter into the Christmas season, I get so torn by emotions. Part of me really loves Christmas and all that it symbolizes. Though I'm not Catholic, I've been contemplating the idea of advent and what that really means and how to observe it. The coming of our Lord and Savior into this world is truly something to celebrate.

And then on the other hand I really hate the commercialism that has become "Christmas". "What am I going to get so and so, because I know they're going to get me something." "Oh he's so hard to buy for, because he's got everything already" Sound familiar? Or what about on Christmas morning, when I very distinctly remember telling my oldest she couldn't play with her new toys until she had opened all her other presents... how ridiculous is that? This is what I'm talking about. It's not something you intend to buy into, it just sorta happens.

What to do about it? It's a quandary for sure, but I've always envisioned something like this... or this. And yet, it never quite comes to pass.

A few weeks ago in Bible Class, I made a comment that, even as I said the words, struck a chord with me and I convicted myself. "My relationship with my children and how I parent stems directly from my relationship with Christ." When I am doing well, and in step with Him, I do well in life. When I am selfishly out of sync with my spiritual disciplines something goes drastically wrong with my parenting. (oooh those poor children. If they turn out well it will be in spite of me, not because of me!).

I think this holds true for the Holidays as well. Where is my focus? Have I set up the precedent that Christmas is about Christ, or that it's about Santa, presents and Frosty? I'm ashamed that I'm 30 years old and I've never pondered the deeper things of Christmas beyond "He's the reason for the season." I'm ashamed that my children up until this point, have not been trained in the tradition of truly seeking at Christmas.

This Christmas, I pray will be the change. This Christmas as we sit around our Christmas tree on Christmas morning I hope my children will know that it's not about the gifts waiting to be unwrapped, but about the Gift that was wrapped so tightly so many years ago...