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I know that there are many ways to celebrate Christmas, and that some people are happy seeing it spelled Xmas. I know there are atheists who set up Christmas trees and like the warm feelings of the holidays. Some people are not sure just how religious they are, really. And some people are just in it for the flash.
OK. Fair enough.
This post isn't for you.
This is for the person who wants to keep a specific religious spirit in the holiday, and could use some help knowing how to best do that.
This post is for ordinary Christian folks, liberal and conservative, progressive and...er...not, who celebrate the Christmas that happened in a manger in Bethlehem.
Have I made enough caveats?
What I am trying to say is that it is fine. Whatever level at wish you want to celebrate or not celebrate this holiday is your business. I am not suggesting there is only one way, and I do not judge the differences between us. But I do want to speak on this occasion to people who share my faith and my concern to keep my household with roots in this celebration as a Holy Day.
OK, enough preface.
I got an email the other day that I loved. It was a commentary that was written as a note from God. It chastised all those folks complaining about the laws that prohibit Nativity scenes in public/government places. "God" essentially slapped those folks on the wrist and suggested that if they wanted to, they could stop belly-aching and set up Nativity scenes on their lawns and near their churches. That way there would be a lot of them, not just one town scene. I had to laugh.
But seriously, in tough economic times especially, we can feel really awful if we only focus on the secular gift-giving aspects of the day. For the person of faith, gifts have little to do with what for us is at the radiant core of the "real" Christmas. For us, his is a Holy Day about abundant joy, abundant miracles, abundant love. So it makes sense to turn our eyes and hearts toward Bethlehem, because, as the carol suggests "Comfort and Joy" can be found there.
FIVE WAYS TO OBVIOUSLY SEEK CHRISTMAS SPIRITUALITY
1. Seeing What We're Believing
One way to keep the spirit of a Holy Day in a holiday is to keep some visual symbols around that remind us. Not everyone has or wants to have a nativity scene on their lawn. But there are many tasteful scenes that can be set up year after year inside your home. Or, if you are clever, you and your children can make them. Keri who is homeschooling her children, made Nativity Blocks with her kids. She has a "Nativity Box" that she and her kids keep for Nativity-related items.
2. Show Folks Your Card
What is on your Christmas card? Every year I find the proportion of religiously-themed cards gets smaller. But those religious ones are the ones I send, because that is what I believe. I do send Season's Greetings cards to my non-Christian friends, of course. There's no need to be impositional. Live and let believe! But I do buy the Christmas stamp to put on similarly themed cards. And, as I fill out those cards, just looking at the picture reminds me of the meaning of Christmas in my family. It becomes almost a way of praying.
3. Do You Hear What I Hear?
Get some CD's that have religiously themed Christmas carols on them, so that you are reminded. They are so beautiful when sung well. Call me a stick in the mud, but I just can't got in the spirit with "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer".
4. Read the News
The Good News of Christ's birth can be found in Luke 2:1-20. It makes for lovely holiday reading, and can become a great family tradition -- the Reading of The Story. Many families read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" fondly. Add this for balance and as a reminder. "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world...." As a companion piece to consider, check out Amelia's review of the "Carol of the Brown King" a book of Nativity poems by Langston Hughes. Or, check out Janga's list of Christmas books for children, both secular and religious.
5. Go To a Church
It doesn't matter if you've been absent for years. It doesn't matter if you go
