Another Christmas season is upon us. For many of us, it really is a special time of year that is unique to any other. I know my wife turns into a kid at heart and loves all the great stuff that makes up the Christmas season. One of our favorite things to do every year is go to a Christmas tree farm, pick out a live tree and cut it down ourselves. One of the farms we have found has free hot chocolate and live reindeer! Does it get any better than that? (I guess maybe free tress?) There are all kinds of great traditions and memories that many of us love to revel in through this season and it’s always sad to us when it’s over.
Even though we love Christmas as much as we always have, it’s interesting that we have gone through some changes in how we choose to celebrate Christmas. In the last couple years we have gone through some steps to simplify and focus the way we celebrate. Some of our attempts have been better and more meaningful than others but all in all it has been a good exercise this think through how we go about celebrating the birth of Christ.
In our upcoming series we are going to ask you to “Re-Think Christmas.” Maybe that is a new thought for some of you. Maybe for others it isn’t new at all. What are your thoughts about the way we have come “as Americans” to celebrate Christmas? How have you already, in years past, begun to “Re-Think Christmas?”
Even though we love Christmas as much as we always have, it’s interesting that we have gone through some changes in how we choose to celebrate Christmas. In the last couple years we have gone through some steps to simplify and focus the way we celebrate. Some of our attempts have been better and more meaningful than others but all in all it has been a good exercise this think through how we go about celebrating the birth of Christ.
In our upcoming series we are going to ask you to “Re-Think Christmas.” Maybe that is a new thought for some of you. Maybe for others it isn’t new at all. What are your thoughts about the way we have come “as Americans” to celebrate Christmas? How have you already, in years past, begun to “Re-Think Christmas?”
3 comments:
I have always tried to be thoughtful about donations around the christmas time. Since coming to xroads, I have begun to think more about those who don't have it as good as I do. I have been truly blessed and I am more in tune to sharing my blessing. I set aside some money for Step By Step because I have been a single mom and know what that is all about. I have always enjoyed giving. I get so excited when I know that it is just the right gift for a certain person and I think that at times I am more excited watching them open it than they are. I feel the same way with buying things for those less fortunate. I want to get the big ticket items because I know so many people out there who will get a little token present to say they have done something. God bless all those who take a little time and effort to do for those at this time of year and all year through.
In "Re-Thinking Christmas" I have chosen to not buy my children or step children anything this year. Many of them are in the "mid-twenties" to "mid-thirties" and still feel that they deserve something. This is somewhat frustrating because my wife and I have money to buy them nice things, but it seems as if they expect it in a selfish way. So in "Re-Thinking Christmas" it has been good for me to see their selfishness and help them to "Re-Think" through that. I am giving some of the money I would spend on them and my December "offering" to an organization that needs it more than Crossroads or my kids, so that is cool. This is a great "time of year" to "think through" these things.
A couple thoughts:
1) I think it feels so good to give because it is so contray to our selfish nature. It's kind of like busting out of the bondage that selfishness brings.
2) I wonder how your kids will respond to your "re-thinking." Are you planning on following up with them on why you choose to do things differently? Just wondering.
Griff
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