Christmas: What is Your Focus?

I've been having a difficult time with Christmas this year.  At first I thought it was circumstantial.  It's been a rough year.  I thought that maybe I just wasn't "into" Christmas this year.  But I think it is more than that.

The first year that my husband and I gave our lives to Christ, Christmas landed on a Sunday.  It was the most profound and spiritual Christmas days I have ever experienced.  A new Christian, and the impact of what the day was supposed to mean hit me full force.  My whole life, Christ had only been an afterthought of Christmas.  That year, He was made real to me.  The holiday was made real.  I wouldn't have cared if I received a single gift or ate one piece of pie.  I would have been completely content to spend the day in the presence of Christ, worshiping Him and thanking Him for coming to earth in a frail, human body.

In the years since, I have tried to make the focus of Christmas to be Christ.  It's not a tough transition for me personally.  I have lost all desire for photos of my children on Santa's lap, even though it has happened at a couple of community festivals.  I've lost all desire to sing Santa songs.  I really don't have much of a desire to buy a bunch of stuff I can't afford or go into debt for a holiday that is supposed to honor a Savior that was born in a manger and grew up the son of a carpenter.

Face it, Christmas is an extremely stressful time!  Every year I wonder how I will find the time to visit all the separate families on a couple of days.  Now that my oldest daughter is engaged, she is running into the same problem times 2, since she now has all her family and her fiance's family.  Everyone wants celebrate on the same days.

Then there is the whole buying presents thing.  I love to buy for others.  Giving is such a wonderful thing.  However, the money just isn't there to spend much.  I am doing my best to be creative, but the prices are outrageous!  My husband and I have had to set extreme limits.  Our children are receiving one big gift each and maybe a few stocking stuffers.  We drew names for my side of the family, and his side is doing a $5 grab bag gift for the adults.  Both sides are getting pictures that my photographer sister took of the girls.

I want Christmas to be about Christ.  I have read a lot lately about the pagan origins of Christmas.  I never really looked into it before.  It bothers me a bit.  I realize that, not only was Christmas a compromise with pagan rituals from its inception, it still is.  I'm not talking about the tree we decorate or mistletoe, though my research hasn't been overly positive on those "traditions".  Pagan traditions are alive and well in America.  Way beyond a history that most know nothing about, the most recent pagan traditions are worshiping at the alter of materialism.  In trying to figure out what to buy my children for Christmas, I was hit by the reality that, while there may be some things that would be nice, they don't need anything.

There was an interesting article written in 2007 for Christianity Today entitled Let the Pagans have the Holiday.  A part of me agrees.  Every year it is the same battle.  Are we going to have to battle for the right to say Merry Christmas in public?  Is displaying a Nativity Scene going to be cause for a lawsuit somewhere, when Frosty and Santa are acceptable everywhere?   While I don't think we should just give up, I do think that, as Christians, we set the example.

Do we focus on the trappings of Christmas that have no eternal value?  Do we focus on trying to get the biggest and the best for our children? Do we focus on Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa?  Or do we focus on the birth of the Savior?  Do we spend time as a family, creating memories in little things like baking cookies together?  As a Christian, I have non-Christian neighbors and even family that is watching.  They have their own traditions, and may think that we are just the "religious" ones.  And yet, I pray that my life is an example; not because I have so much stuff or an ideal life, but because I have Jesus and that is more important and brings me more peace than all the riches in the world!

There is something to be said about a strong, stable, quiet faith.  If we are in everyone's face with our faith, constantly arguing and demanding our rights and our way, are we presenting an honorable example of Christ?  There is a fine line between standing up for our rights as Christian Americans and casting the Gospel and Jesus Christ in a negative light.  Many times, we have gone overboard and caused many to want little to nothing to do with Christ.  Is there any honoring Christ if I'm wearing my "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" T-shirt and not walking in love, not praying for those around me; but instead trying to shove my faith down people's throats and demand my own way and rights?

I'm not sure about how I feel about all the pagan traditions surrounding the history of Christmas that has been brought to my attention.  The contemporary idols about Christmas are enough to bother me.  God will lead.  I want Him to lead.  God is leading me into studying and learning the about the Biblical Holidays.

I am excited about having my grown daughters home for the Christmas season.  I am excited about seeing and spending time with family.   Those are the best gifts, in my opinion.