On each of the twelve days leading up to Christmas*, I am giving a gift** to someone*** who really deserves it. This must be how Oprah**** feels.
Yesterday Jack asked me “Does it snow on Christmas Eve or just Christmas?
I just showed him this chart
This year the odds of an American seeing a white Christmas are really slim. Here is the data the Weather Channel released yesterday.
Have you noticed how the way that Christmas is generally portrayed is nothing like Christmas reality for most of us? When’s the last time you rode in a one-horse open sleigh? sat around a fire telling stories? caroled on Christmas day? ate figgy pudding? refused to leave someone’s lawn until they brought you the figgy pudding? Christmas would seem so much more genuine if we would sing about waiting in line for 48 minutes at WalMart or feigning excitement when we receive another sweater that we will return for store credit.
It’s a good thing I’m a Christian and know the real meaning of this holiday. If I didn’t understand what it was all about I would probably be caught up in the same ridiculous busyness and frustration that everyone else is working through this December. I’m very grateful that I’ve been focused on the true meaning of Christmas.
Can you smell the hypocrisy that was dripping off of my fingertips as I typed that last paragraph? Yeah, this Christian isn’t much better that everyone else. You know what I’ve been thinking about while I’ve had visions of sugarplums dancing in my head? The gifts I’m giving, the NBA season starting, the food I will be eating, the time off work, the trip to see family on Christmas, getting my van fixed so the trip won’t be cut short.
Today, I’m not giving a gift, but I am taking a moment to think about the gift that was given. Jesus was the Messiah, God’s way of allowing us to be reconciled to Him. He came to earth to provide forgiveness. Today’s gift is for me.
*Not the twelve days of Christmas, we’ve been over this already.
**In reality no gifts will be given. This is a hypothetical sort of thing designed to increase traffic on this website.
***Contest open to legal residents of planet earth and 18 or older to win unless I decide to give a gift to a minor or extraterrestrial. No purchase necessary, although purchases will definitely increase chances of winning. Some restrictions apply, like the fact that there is not an actual prize.
****Oprah Winfrey does not necessarily endorse this blog or the contents therein although I’m sure she would enjoy it. Oprah, if you’re reading, an endorsement would be appreciated…and a new car.
