Christmas Without the Trimmings and Trappings

Remember when I wrote about my house being in shambles due to slab leaks and other such problems (just smile and nod)? Well, that’s still my life. And I don’t know if you know this, but dry wall dust and Christmas decorations don’t go very well together. Hence, due to our house problems, the Pace family has decided to cancel Christmas.

Just kidding.

But it was a real temptation when December quickly arrived. There’s so much chaos already, adding more Christmas chaos didn’t sound very appealing.

But that’s when I remembered that the parts of Christmas that we technically could cancel, don’t actually define Christmas. If we had no decorations, no gifts, no parties, no Christmas cookies, no lights, we could still very much  stop to reflect on and celebrate Christmas. It’s still the time to remember the birth of Jesus even if our home isn’t warm and cozy with all the Christmas feels.

And I bet there’s some people reading this who need to remember that as much as I do. Even if you aren’t living in a construction zone, your life may feel anything but Christmassy. Maybe it’s because the holidays remind you of certain heartaches. Or maybe the busyness of the season simply stresses you out. Well, the good news is: the expectations that come with a happy holiday aren’t what it’s all about. Christmas is simply about Jesus. God became flesh and dwelt among us.

So I hope and pray that whatever makes you feel a tad Scrooge-like will fade off in the distance as you think on God’s generosity to you. Oh well if you don’t decorate. No big deal if you don’t make cookies. Skip the ginger bread houses if you want. But don’t skip remembering what it’s all about. The truth of Christmas will never be cancelled, and for that, we should celebrate! Each day this month find some moments to thank God for sending Jesus, and find joy in that amazing gift.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season, with or without all the trimmings and trappings!