Is Christmas Meant to Be Put into Storage???

After weeks of celebrating old memories and new beginnings, today finds many packing away the ornaments that have been decorating our homes and lives the past month or so. Question is does God call us to do this, or does the world lead us to hide CHRISTmas in storage?

The world declares the holidays are over, and we are to get back into the stark contrast of our self-motivated, material climbing treadmill of life. God proclaims a HOLYDAY opposite. God’s present of His Son’s redeeming birth is not meant to be boxed up and stored for even a moment, let alone a whole year. So, why do we allow the presence of this gift to not adorn our existence, every day of every year?

In between his annual visit, children enjoy Santa’s gifts throughout the year. God’s Christ Child present, and presence, is not a once in a year event. God’s gifting is marked “always and forever”. Shouldn’t the appreciation and application of the gift of CHRISTmas, then, ring out from our hearts and souls throughout all seasons of the year — and our lives?

Santa’s visit stems from folklore. Christ’s birth is rooted in historically validated fact. Oh, if only all children of God held truth over fantasy. Revealed faith and hope placed in Baby Jesus will overcome our trials and tribulations. Even the best of make-believe traditions can’t carry us over (or through) the worldly mountains we, humans, (without exception) must travel.

This year, I (and hopefully you, too) refuse to let boxes in attic storage blind me, for most of the year, to the eternal joy of CHRISTmas. Thus, this day’s resolution is not to do away with “negatives and shortcomings” but to daily be filled with the inspiring meaning and message of Christ’s birth. As a reminder for me on those days when life seems hard to celebrate, I’m leaving out (and prominently displaying) my favorite “meaning of CHRISTmas” decoration. 24/7 and 365 of 2023, my soul will remember the joy of the gift who gave birth to CHRISTmas and continues to breathe joy-filled life into my heart and soul. Might not the redeeming cries of Baby Jesus, swaddled in the manger, be calling you to do the same?