Christmastime is Here

I really do love Christmas. Although this year, I feel like it's taken me longer to get into the Christmas spirit. Something has put a bit of a damper on it, and I'm quite sure what it is. Maybe it's the slue of commercials that have turned the holidays into one big shopping spree. I'm not denying the fact that Christmas does involve some form of shopping, but sometimes I feel that it's gotten out of hand. Or maybe it's because it hasn't snowed yet. I live in Ohio. In the snow belt. So where is it? I want to go skiing! Or it could be the fact that all my teachers decided to have tests and projects due during the last week before break. I just finished writing a 7-page literature analysis. Too. Many. Quotes. Don't worry, there is a point to this.

What I'm saying is that a lot of us have forgotten what the holidays are for. I mean, we all know it's to celebrate Jesus's birth, but it's a lot deeper than that. When Jesus was born, there was no Christmas tree. No fire burning in the fireplace, no holiday specials on TV. He was born in a barn. In a manger. Do you know what a manger is? It's a feed trough. Jesus was born in a box that animals eat out of. Speaking of animals, there would have been quite a few in that barn. So there's dirt. And straw. Manure and dust. It would have been filthy in there. This is where our Savior was born. A filthy, cold stable. It wasn't extravagant or flashy. It was humble. It was quiet. I think that this was an example of how we should celebrate Christmas. Keep it simple. I'm not saying don't get a tree or not decorate. I like those parts of it. If we remember what really happened that first Christmas, I think that it will help us not get so caught up.