CHRISTMAS 2011

Every year for the past few years, I have felt less and less in the Christmas spirit. So, a week or so before Christmas this year I started listening to the Glee Christmas albums, volume 1 and 2, to start psyching myself up and “feel” Christmas.

One song they did really elegantly was O Christmas Tree. Such a beautiful song, melody.. but singing all that about a Christmas tree? I found it slightly ridiculous. Then I substituted Christ for Christmas tree and it became this beautiful hymn to God who “is like a tree that is always green” ~Hosea 14:8. It was only when I looked up the original lyrics, that lo and behold, there is a verse about God right at the end.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
How often has the Christmas tree
Afforded me the greatest glee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!
From base to summit, gay and bright,
There's only splendor for the sight.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!!"

However, I still didn’t feel very Christmassy. Didn’t help that I worked right up to 5pm on Friday, 23 December. [Side note: Whatever happened to companies closing over the Christmas period and people slowing down to really savour it?] Anyway, my point? Not feeling Christmassy.

Then I attended an evening my aunt and my cousin orchestrated on Christmas eve. What a blessed event that was!

 They rented a small community hall, put a few decorations on the tables, served some delicious food, and …

 

A story was read to the children to speak about the meaning of Christmas, using a story about trees. (Oh, light bulb moment, another tree reference! Hehehe).

My one aunt played 3 Christmas carols on the piano and we sang along. (My aunt can play piano? And secondly, we haven’t done THAT in.. have we ever done that as a family and not just at a church service?)

My cousin’s husband sang an inspiring song about God (he can sing? Surprise!), my other cousin’s wife read a Christmas poem about God and then shared a verse in the Bible that got them through a very difficult year. And you could hear that this verse had become a lifeline.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (Amplified Bible)*

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support.

[I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

*And since this is my funny coincidental life, this very verse from this very translation was read on a TV sermon the next morning

My dad made a speech that almost had me in tears it was so touching. (I am so proud and so lucky to have my parents – they are stellar people.) One of the things he said was, “what would the world be without Christmas? The year would just end, no special times with family etc.” For all that we complain about Christmas I, Karin, really would miss it AND we choose to make it a meaningful holiday or a shopping extravaganza. We CHOOSE.  It’s not big expensive gifts, it’s just having a time of year that we make special, that we decorate our homes, that we make nice meals.. just doing something special!

My step-cousin also made a speech that nearly had us in tears again. About how beautiful the evening was, how important family is.. I could only agree.

Everything was done from the heart, sincerely. No pretence. No hoopla.

It was beautiful.

It was Christmas.