What I Like About The Christmas Season

(I realize this is very late.  I wrote this in response to a mental blog I was writing of things I didn't like about Christmas.  I thought I would go back and write that untoward blog, but I couldn't bring myself to ruin anyone's Christmas with it even though it would be followed with this warm and fuzzy.  Anyway, posting this, albeit late, should free up my blog thoughts that have been dammed up waiting for a decision on what to do with this one.)

Even if I'm trying to not get caught up in what Christmas is in current American culture, I inevitably get pulled in every year by a few Christmas traditions. Here are some things about Christmas that I enjoy:

Holiday Baking. My mom likes to stack up their kitchen with tins and plasticware full of goodies at this time of year. Peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's Kiss on top, Chex Mix, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, pretzels and nuts covered in white chocolate, fruitcake cookies, sausage balls, pumpkin roll, and my favorite, made-from-scratch sugar cookies that we get to help decorate. She has tried to cut back recently by asking each of us to pick one thing for her to make, but there are five of us (not including spouses and children) so the selection is still grand. We know what the others will say and are careful to select one all our own. This is probably why I always choose the sugar cookies. I enjoy getting to decorate them more than eating them! Now my husband's sister is in love with them and has been added to the request list! There's no getting away
from holiday baking. It is such a part of the season for me that I still encourage Mom to do the baking, even though I can't eat any of it!

Gifts. I'll say it. I like it when people buy me stuff. My family gathers in the living room on Christmas morning and each person has a pile of gifts in front of them. My mom likes to make sure everyone has plenty of gifts to open and goes to great lengths to ensure equality in value and sometimes quantity, regardless of value. We take turns opening gifts, everyone watches what is being opened. You get your picture taken, throw the ball of wrapping paper across the room to the designated trash bag, then worry about whether or not to keep the box and bow before selecting your next gift to open. It makes for a long, but fun, morning.

Messiah Sings. When I worked for First UMC, Knoxville, the Choir Director organized a Messiah Sing for the community and I attended out of curiosity. I loved it and have attended one nearly every year since! For those who aren't familiar with this event, you sit in sections based on your voice (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) and sing select pieces of Handel's Messiah. The first year Shea and I went having no idea what we were doing and were herded to tenor and soprano, respectively. Lol! Shea was lost and distracted by the fact that he was sitting next to David Keith. I tried my best to keep up with the sopranos until the third or fourth "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!" in the Hallelujah chorus when nothing came out of my mouth but a squeak. But oh it's so much fun and thrilling to sing along to those powerful songs. I suppose I should say I like to hear singing in large groups in general, which tends to occur more often at Christmastime. The last few years our church has combined with two other area churches for a Christmas cantata. The result is a 50+ person choir, and the sound of all those voices together makes me think that must be what it sounds like in heaven when all the angels sing. Also, I recall many Christmas Carolling adventures I've been on. Bearden UMC in Knoxville has a great tradition of carolling in the nearby trailer park and they give gifts to those who come to their doors. While the songs of carolling usually include well-known secular songs, the Spirit of God is what takes them there and it is a lot of fun to sing out with a group of happy hearts.

Vacation. When I was a student, I was always relieved when Christmas Break arrived. Now, my husband and sister are teachers and so I take a week off around Christmas and New Year's to spend time with them while they are on Christmas Break. New Year's has become, for me, a time of cleaning and organization. I think it's because while I'm off I always put away the Christmas decorations and find places for all the new stuff people bought me. In the middle of December, I find myself looking forward to getting things in order.

What I like most about Christmas, is spending time with family. All of the above-mentioned activities are made special by the family members involved. Thankfully, our society takes a whole day off on Christmas and I am able to enjoy maintaining and creating traditions with my loved ones.

You may be thinking I have left out what should be my number one favorite thing about Christmas, Jesus. However, outside of activities within the church, I just don't see Jesus in what we call Christmas. Besides, I love Jesus every day of the year, not just from Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day, and He is more than a tradition to me. =)