Christmas

I penned this first as a bulletin article five years ago.

“Tis the season to be jolly! Fa la la la la la la la la”. I suppose these words are very familiar to you as from the Christmas tune, Deck the Halls. But if your take on the season is the same as that of Lucy Van Pelt in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, you’ll relate very well to her as she says, “I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that.”

The unfortunate thing is that many in our society feel the same way. Instead of a time for joy, it’s a time for depression. Instead of a time of contentment, it’s a time of greed. Instead of a time fulfillment, it’s a time of unfulfilled (and unfulfillable) expectations.

We go through the motions, succumb to the commercial temptations, break our necks to have the perfect holiday celebration, and put on the best show we know how, only to find that something is terribly wrong.

We have not found what we’re looking for. We’re not even close. And instead of sitting back and taking stock, we pedal even faster, so to speak, in the futile hope that somehow things will be different this time.

In the same TV program, Charlie Brown, exasperated, tired, and harried because of the antics of the others at a Christmas play practice, shouts out to anyone who will listen, “Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?”

And Linus Van Pelt, Lucy’s little brother, takes center stage and says, “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you. Lights, please. (A spotlight shines on Linus.) "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'. That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

It is interesting to note that Linus, forever dependent on his security blanket, lets go of it when he quotes “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.” You know, maybe it’s time for a little less “Deck the Halls” and a little more quiet reflection on just what this time of year means to us.