For some people, Christmas is not Christmas without a funky-looking plastic snowman or Santa Claus perched on the front lawn glowing at everyone that passes. Several strings of blinking lights twist around the house, drip from the eves and engulf the bushes. There must be a fragrant wreath on the door and an evergreen tree buried in bulbs, lights, tinsel and bows in the living room. Oh, and the music. The soft melodic sounds of Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby play endlessly on the sound system. Then it is Christmas. A Christmas that lasts until everything is taken down and stored away in boxes until the next year.
“What about presents?” squeals another large portion of the population, mainly composed of kids. Those brightly colored packages with the huge bows that sit calmly beneath the tree. They wait for that day when they will be ripped open and their contents spilled onto the floor to be viewed by everyone. A scooter, a Sony Playstation2, Teckno the robotic puppy, a wireless personal digital assistant or mega-pixel digital camera — the gifts pile up and the once-beautiful packages are in shreds all over the floor. As soon as all the presents have been opened and displayed and put away, Christmas is then officially considered done.
No, wait. Ham, corn, mashed potatoes, yams, cheesecake, cookies spill in profusion all over the dining room. Food! What Christmas would be good without the food? And it can’t be a modest dinner. No, it must be a banquet! Every platter drips with gooey good food that will stick to your insides for hours to come (and the calories will stick with you even longer).
But to another segment of the population, Christmas is a time for family. This population, presumably, is made up of those who actually like spending time with their families. Every year, the family unites under one roof. Time to hear Uncle Fred’s crazy sports stories again and pig out on Aunt Barb’s pumpkin pie. The men congregate in the den to watch football as the women gossip in the kitchen (or the other way around).
The house is abuzz with laughter, voices talking excitedly about all that happened in the past year. And as goodbyes are said and hugs are exchanged, a small sadness hovers over the family because a bit of Christmas leaves with each retreating family member. But when the last one is out the door and quiet descends once again, happiness returns in memories.
And we must not forget those who see Christmas as a symbol for something larger, much bigger than themselves. Two thousand years ago, a savior lay in a manager. Born of a virgin, he came to earth to bridge the distance between God and his creation. He brings love and abundant life. Ever since then, Christmas has been set aside as a time for those who believe in Christ to celebrate his birth.
All these things — food, decorations, family, music, faith — are ingredients to the Christmas holiday. And I am sure there are many more. But Christmas is only as much as you put into it. It can be all of those things or nothing at all. However meaningful or superficial your Christmas becomes this year is entirely up to you. May your Christmas be a merry one.