There’s more to Christmas than jingle bells
Recently, I’ve been trying to recall my first Christmas. Although I am aware that my memory is not perfect, I hoped to recall some childhood memories of my first Christmas.
Sadly, I was unable to recall anything about my first Christmas. Obviously, it is possible that I was just five months old at that point. Nevertheless, I attempted to recall some previous Christmases.
I have spent more Christmases than I care to admit over the years. It is not because I am old; Simply put, I haven’t died yet.
The best part about Christmas was all the presents I received. I remember getting a lot of presents under the tree on my first Christmas. At the time, none of my siblings were there, so I was the focus of several Christmases. That was the substance of genuine delight.
I believed that Christmas was all about me, what I desired, and what would make me happy.
I recall my folks taking me downtown to sit on St Nick’s lap and determine what I needed for Christmas. Christmas seemed to me to be all about that.
When my siblings showed up, Christmas became less about “me” for me, which made me feel a little uneasy. For reasons unknown, they assumed they were essential for Christmas. I let them spend a portion of Christmas with me around the tree because I’m a great brother.
After that, I was made aware that not only was I not the main focus of Christmas, but that I also needed to buy presents for my siblings. It was difficult to overcome that. What have they ever done to merit my Christmas gifts?
I at long last handled that and found giving can likewise be enjoyable.
Everything went well until a second event changed everything in my Christmas activity.
I happened to meet a young woman while attending a Bible school in New York. I got married before I could process everything. Men have no idea how that occurs. I needed to advise myself that weddings are for spouses and not husbands. In the end, the happy man is the one who lets his wife plan the wedding.
I had no idea how much my life was going to change when we got married.
Then came Christmas for the first time as a married man, and I wasn’t ready for it.
We celebrated Christmas with my wife’s family. From the outset, I thought the entire area had come to observe Christmas with us. I then realized, to my dismay, that these were my wife’s siblings. How many there were, I can’t remember; I was unable to count them; they were going around excessively quick.
I’ve never had a Christmas like that before. The problem was that we had to buy gifts for everyone in the family. With all of my purchases, I was able to empty Wal-Mart.
When I opened those presents, I lost track of what I had received and who I had given it to. However, it marked the beginning of a Christmas season that was distinct from what I had previously experienced.
Then more things started happening. Our family welcomed children one at a time. Fortunately, unlike my wife’s parents, who, according to my calculations, had close to 100 children, we only had three.
Eventually, I realized that Christmas was not at all about me. When I thought about Christmas, there was a significant shift. I had to rely on my wife, who is an expert in the field, to do all the shopping because I wasn’t a qualified shopper.
It wasn’t some time before I understood that a Christmas tune with “jingle” in it implied that I should spend a great deal of my coin for Christmas.
Christmas wasn’t really about me, was it? It was about me paying for Christmas, and the number of people receiving it appears to be growing continuously.
I had to buy Christmas presents for my siblings and parents. Christmas gifts were purchased by my wife’s parents and siblings. Then, I required my children to purchase Christmas gifts.
Why is everything about “me”?
It took me some time to realize that Christmas is about more than just “jingle, jingle.” When our children and grandchildren were all gathered around the Christmas tree to open presents one Christmas, I came to that conclusion.
I just sat back and watched. Yes, I received a few Christmas gifts. But Christmas for me did not consist of that. When I saw my family gathered around that tree, I realized that was the point of Christmas. Family getting together and having fun.
The only thing that opened the family celebration was the “jingle, jingle.” I’ve come to the conclusion that every moment spent under that tree is worth all the “jingle, jingle” in the world.
Then I pondered what the Holy book said. ” As a result, the days required for her delivery were completed while they were there. She also gave birth to her first child, wrapped him in blankets, and put him in a manger; because the inn could not accommodate them” (Luke 2:6-7).
Family is at the heart of Christmas. Jesus Christ is the entry point into the family of God.
Dr. James L. Snyder is minister of the Group of God Association, Ocala, FL 34472, where he resides with the Benevolent Courtesan of the Parsonage.
