Has the Grinch stolen Christmas?
I am sure I am not alone when I find the Christmas season anything but enjoyable. I think I may actually have become a slightly nicer version of the Grinch. Sure, I decorate my house, put up a small fake tree, but as of yet, I do not fall into the who "Santa" idea or the whole "Elf on the Shelf" idea. Charlie does not seem to care about Santa as a whole, Carrie is deathly afraid of a big fat white guy...so where does that leave me? Isn't, after all, Jesus the reason we celebrate. I get that Santa and Elf are fairly harmless, but what about the fact that MOST of our nation has secularized and materialized this holiday so much that Jesus would be crying. I seriously think he would be ashamed to see us giving out iphones and ipads and what not. And I think Jesus is the coolest person out there. And most understanding and loving person out there. And he would shake his head at this.
Lately, I have been reading the book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" to Charlie. He enjoys it, or more so he puts up with me reading it. Maybe I enjoy it. I do not know. Often I feel a Grinchy-feel in my heart about this season. Is it possible that because Christmas and prep for it begins in July? Is it because I hate Black Friday and SHOPPING. Really, I hate shopping. I cannot hardly stand grocery shopping more or less looking for presents. Is it the materialism of this world that drives me nuts? How about the fact that people so readily forget the reason we have a season anyways?
I went, at my church, to a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party for preschoolers. It was fun. The kids had a good time, we read the Christmas story, we played and celebrated. Simple. I went to a Christmas Pageant at church last weekend. I was hesistant on going, sometimes these are so bad that I cannot stand it, however, this was good. Very good in fact. They did a rendition of O Holy Night that brought me to tears. The orchestra was outstanding. Charlie was enthralled.
So, where does that leave me. Well, I will put on a fake face about Santa. We do not own "Elf" and I will make sure Charlie at least experiences in every way he can, the real reason for the season. That advent for him and us will be a time of anticipation, but not anxiety. And that the saying of "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more!"
Lately, I have been reading the book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" to Charlie. He enjoys it, or more so he puts up with me reading it. Maybe I enjoy it. I do not know. Often I feel a Grinchy-feel in my heart about this season. Is it possible that because Christmas and prep for it begins in July? Is it because I hate Black Friday and SHOPPING. Really, I hate shopping. I cannot hardly stand grocery shopping more or less looking for presents. Is it the materialism of this world that drives me nuts? How about the fact that people so readily forget the reason we have a season anyways?
I went, at my church, to a "Happy Birthday Jesus" party for preschoolers. It was fun. The kids had a good time, we read the Christmas story, we played and celebrated. Simple. I went to a Christmas Pageant at church last weekend. I was hesistant on going, sometimes these are so bad that I cannot stand it, however, this was good. Very good in fact. They did a rendition of O Holy Night that brought me to tears. The orchestra was outstanding. Charlie was enthralled.
So, where does that leave me. Well, I will put on a fake face about Santa. We do not own "Elf" and I will make sure Charlie at least experiences in every way he can, the real reason for the season. That advent for him and us will be a time of anticipation, but not anxiety. And that the saying of "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more!"
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