Christmas-aholic?

I can introduce myself honestly as an addict. A Christmas addict, that is. Christmas can be a very tough time for some, but no matter how hard and hectic the holiday can be, I still can't hate it. There are just too many things about Christmas that I really enjoy.

One of those is certainly Christmas music. I have listened to Christmas music at all times of the year, even mid-July! It may be the familiarity with most of the tunes that keeps me interested or the deep spirituality that I find in many songs. For example, "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" has an easily overlooked truth hiding just beneath the surface. In an updated version of the old English, it would read "God Make Ye Mighty, Gentlemen." What a source of encouragement! The writer of the song is encouraging listeners to remember that the miracle of Christ's incarnation on Christmas day outweighs any troubles that circumstances may bring. There are other Christmas songs that do the same. I won't attempt to present an exhaustive list, but a few that come to mind are "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," and "Joy to the World" (even though this one is actually an Easter hymn). Maybe these hymns just remind me of when I was a child sitting in the church in which I grew up. I remember seeing the decorated tree in the sanctuary and feeling the anticipation for what would come on Christmas morning. What a rush!

Another reason I like Christmas is the hope that it will bring snow. Now, I live in the South. We don't get snow here very often, but I'm still holding out for a white Christmas one day. We've come close in my area a couple times, but you can bet I'll be taking pictures when and if it finally happens, because it's almost certain to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At any rate, I look forward to it in spite of how far-fetched it may be. Snow is fun if you don't have to shovel it or so I'm told. A case in point would be when I mentioned my desire to see some snow to a customer who called in from the Northeast. He offered to put a lawn chair out in his yard for me to enjoy all the "bleeping" snow I wanted! Bah humbug! I'll keep wishing for it anyway.

I have kids, now. That's another really good reason to enjoy Christmas as an adult. My daughter is already a teenager, so it's not quite the same as when she was small. Even so, it's still a hoot to see her get excited about a certain something that she has been really looking forward to. My son will have his first Christmas in a few days. He won't remember it, of course, but it won't be long and his eyes will start lighting up at the thought of ripping into some wrapping paper and boxes. I can hardly wait!

Certainly, the most amazing thing about Christmas is what we celebrate: God becoming a man. I get blown away when I read the story of God visiting Moses on Mt. Sinai and then skipping to the manger scene. That same God in Exodus is all wrapped up in a newborn in Luke's gospel. What a thought! Once you consider it, you are automatically pointed toward another important day on our Christian calendar: Easter. The reason for the season is Jesus and the reason Jesus came was to give life to us all.

So Christmas holds a lot of significance for me. Of course, I'm as guilty as the next guy of materialism on Christmas. I'm equally as guilty to complain about how busy everything gets. But I am quickly drawn back to the deep well we visit every December 25th. At this point, it may be impossible for me to avoid it. I guess know too much about it. My name is Scott and I'm a Christmas-aholic...and that's a good thing. Merry Christmas!