Is Christmas over?

Is Christmas over?

The commercials are done, the decorations are down in the stores, and shopping carts hold piles of unsold items marked down. People remark, "I'm glad the holidays are over, now we can get back to normal!"

This is so sad. What is "normal"? Is it ignoring your family and parents until the next holiday? Is it complaining and groaning over work and co-workers again?

In the Christian "Heart", it should be Christmas every day. If it were Christmas everyday, wouldn't people be happier? Would people be nicer to one another, charitable, and kind? Would they add a few dollars more to the collection plate at church? Or would they be stressing themselves out trying to make the perfect holiday dinner, or getting the perfect gift for someone they know? Would they be fighting with relatives and remembering long ago grudges?

Christmas should be a state of mind as well as remembering the miracle of Christ's birth on earth. Too many people have forgotten the joy that Christmas is about. After all, December 25^th is just an arbitrary date selected long ago to give us something to celebrate in winter, other than pagan gods of trees and such? What it has become is anything but joyous. It’s become about spending, and companies making profits over the sale of items people don’t need, usually don’t want, and could generally live without. It’s become about, greed, and want, and sadness. People get depressed and associate the holiday with some event in their lives that is long over but never forgotten, memories of childhood, losses of parents, spouses, children, friends. December has the highest suicide rate of any month of the year.

Christmas is Joy, joy of the virgin birth of the Son of God.

Christmas is Hope, hope of salvation in our Lord.

Christmas is Humble, humbleness of His birth as a mere human.

Christmas is Love, Love of God in that we are mortals not worthy of the gift of love in His Son.

Christmas is a Gift, a gift that is eternal.

Christmas is Promise, promise of eternity with God if we accept his Gift.

Can we live our lives daily with joy, hope, humbleness, love, and promise of a gift that is eternal?

Today folks are thinking of things to resolve to do in the next year, things that typically they break before the end of the month. Resolutions are easily broken, promises are forgotten, and commitments are severed.

Contracts are written documents that are meant to hold someone to an agreed upon outcome. Perhaps this year, we should try writing a contract to God? Frame it, post it where you and everyone can see it. Will it hold you to the promises it contains? Only time will tell.

Here’s a contract sample,

On this day, I, (insert name) agreed to live my life and raise my family as Jesus, my Lord and Savior, has asked me.

From this day forward, I will:

1)    Praise God above all else.

2)    Pray daily and often.

3)    Attend Church weekly without complaint.

4)    Give thanks daily for what I have in this life.

5)    Honor my parents and love my children.

6)    Not be envious of others lives or possessions

7)    Love others as myself.

8)    Forgive anyone that has offended me, in the past or today.

9)    Will not complain or gossip.

10)         Be kind to the poor and give whatever assistance I can afford.

11)         Will read the Bible or other media that will increase my knowledge and faith in the Lord.

These things I promise, this day, (date)

Signed, (add your signature)

This is only a suggestion, you might want to start with a shorter list until you are comfortable with the idea and able to master them.

Perhaps if we all begin to think and act like Christ is in us, as He is, the world may become a better place!

In the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and a few others, Christmas is still here and Celebrated until the Epiphany on January 6th , closing the 12 days of Christmas. (yes, that is what the song is about)

My Tree used to come down on New Years day, but now I leave it up until the Epiphany. Some also call it Three Kings Day, the Magi, the day when the three magi arrived to see the Christ Child heralded by the great star. Many countries have festivals on this day, even now, and I think it is a great way to prolong the season and educate our children in our faith. 

How ever you choose to do it, find a way to keep Christmas all year long, and borrowing from Charles Dickens, "God Bless us, everyone!"

Blessings!

The Catholic Lady©