Recapturing the Joy and Wonder of Christmas

Saturday, December 19th, 2009

“When His joy invades our lives, it spills over into everything we do and onto everyone we touch.” -Charles Swindoll

Christmas seems to get bigger, fancier, and brighter every year, but with each passing year we continue to fall further away from what Christmas is all about. Christmas is no longer a holiday, but a whole season. The preparations are now made in early November, there is a whole genre of Christmas music and movies, and lights seem to be brighter and bolder with new and improved technological advances. Christmas has become larger than life almost. Somewhere along the way we lost what this is all about in the first place. When did this all start?

Before 1940, the retail season was very short. Most people didn’t even think about Christmas until December 20th. Most of the shopping and almost all the decorating was done on Christmas Eve. World War II completely changed everything. With millions of Americans off fighting in the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked folks to shop and mail gifts early. To ensure that loved ones received their gifts by Christmas, the gifts were sent no later than the first week of December. Thus the Christmas rush began before Thanksgiving. A few years later, the mold was officially cast and the month long celebration of Christmas was born.

Flash forward to the present day and it’s impossible to escape the Christmas season–it’s everywhere. Shopping malls, schools, grocery stores, business offices, and on every street corner. What’s more is the intoxicating commercialism that engulfs the season. Everyone wants you to spend your money on their service or product, offering enticing deals that are hard to pass up. You don’t want to disappoint loved ones with cheap, thoughtless gifts so you buy the most expensive gifts you can afford. After hours upon hours of shopping and decorating you’re burned out wishing the Christmas holiday would just go away. First let’s address what isn’t the problem…

Let me first clarify a few things. Buying or receiving gifts is not a bad thing. In fact, this holiday season should be seen as a time of joy and thanksgiving. Gift giving is a one of the best expressions of this. The problem instead lies on the sole emphasis on gifts.  If it’s not the gifts than it’s the music, the traditions, the decorations, the parties, or just being busy. Again, nothing is wrong with any of this, but it’s where our focus and attention is aimed at that’s the core of the problem. When we do all of this just to keep ourselves and others happy for one more year, then what’s really the point? The true meaning of Christmas continues to fade further and further from us. So how do we regain the Christmas spirit that seemed to come so easily when we were younger?

We’re all heard the Christmas story a million times by now (or so it seems). Even most non-Christians know the story by heart (or Hollywood’s glamorized version). It’s so familiar to us that we immediately tune it out and give little thought to it. We hear the familiar songs, some of us read the first few chapters of the gospels of Luke or Matthew, and attend a Christmas Eve service because it’s what you always do. But rarely do we stop and comprehend the wonder of Christ’s birth. It’s basically background noise and images taken for granted. It’s just another small part of our Christmas tradition and little else… So here a few ideas to recapture the wonder and joy of Christmas:

1) Slow Down!

This may be the hardest one to do because so many things this time of the year call for our attention. There’s countless parties to attend, presents to buy, cookies to bake, decorations to put up, and on and on it goes. It seems like there’s little time to breathe this time of the year. How to do slow down?  Just simplify. Don’t feel obligated to go to every Christmas party, concert, event, or buy a gift for every single person you know. Leave time in your schedule to rest and just relax. Savor every moment you have with loved ones and friends. Don’t let this time of the year fade away without recognizing it. This is a truly special time of the year, so treasure the time you have! The song Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day by the artist Avalon states this concept well:

“Don’t get so busy that you miss
Giving just a little kiss
To the ones you love
Don’t even wait a little while
To give them just a little smile
A little is enough”

2) Serve and Give Back to Others

Another way to recapture Christmas joy is to take the focus off yourself. This seems like common sense and everyone knows it to be true, but few really grasp it. We’re so caught up in what we need to do, our own traditions, and our own agendas that it’s easy to lose track of spreading the joy of Christmas to others. How can we do this? Go caroling and spread the news of Christ’s birth, serve your church in any way you can, find a family that is in need of food and give out of your abundant blessings, bake cookies and give them to your neighbors, send Christmas cards to loved ones, give to a charity of your choice; the possibilities are endless! All you have to do is look for others needs and have a willing heart. Remember that every act of love will create a ripple effect affecting countless lives; no matter how small it may seem at the time.

3) Share in the Christmas Story!

Lastly, we need to take time to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas–the birth of Jesus Christ! We must turn our focus on the wonder and joy of Emmanuel-God with Us!  “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) Read both accounts of the Christmas story in Matthew and Luke and put yourself in the story, being a shepherd out in the fields or one of the wise men. Try to picture what it was like to witness this awe-inspiring event. Go to a Christmas Eve service and worship with fellow believers sharing in the joy of Christ’s birth. Listen to a Christmas album and capture the wonder in the words of the songs. Share in this joy with your family and friends remembering all God has blessed you with and thanking Him for the gift of salvation that He gave by the birth of His Son. Recall the good memories of your Christmas from your past and take gratitude in them. Lastly, let people know why Christmas is so important to you! Tell your neighbors, co-workers, people on the streets, everyone you meet, about the true meaning of Christmas and why we have reason to celebrate and rejoice!

Why is the Christmas story so wondrous? Simply because the birth of Jesus Christ is the greatest miracle of all! No Hollywood writer would have ever accepted the script God chose for the birth of His son because it’s not the way we would have conceived it happening. God Himself came down to earth and humbled Himself to be born in a lowly manger as a helpless baby. You would think that God would have picked a high and lofty place to be born, but that’s not the way He wanted it. God choose to tell the common shepherds of the birth instead of the rich and famous. Then He was forced out of Bethlehem to Egypt due to King Herod’s jealousy in his ordering of killing of thousands of innocent children to make matters even harder. This is hardly the way we would think the King of Kings should enter this world–but He did! Everything happened not only to fulfill prophecy but also to show how amazing and glorious our God is. His ways are so much higher than ours! So take time to reflect and thank God for the greatest gift of all–His Son! “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Remember that Christmas should be carried in your heart throughout the year, not just during this month of December. Reflect on the birth of Christ throughout the year as you draw closer to Him with each passing year. Learn to express God’s love every day of the year and to serve others whether an opportunity arises. Christmas can come without boxes, packages, and bags, it’s all in your heart!

**I will be taking a few weeks off from writing my blogs for this website to celebrate the Christmas and New Year’s Day Holidays. Tune in for my next blog on Achieving Your Dreams on the second weekend of January 2010. Until then may God Bless you and your family and Merry Christmas!!**

Sources: Ace Collins 25 Days, 26 Ways. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009