Would Christmas Be Christmas?

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

(Luke 2:11 ESV)

           

Christmas, in the United States, tends to be quite elaborate. There is a way that we celebrate the day. Although we put our own little twists on it, depending on our family, most of it is largely the same.

In contrast, the very first Christmas was quite ordinary, by all regards. The shepherds were out doing their job, taking care of their sheep. But, suddenly, they received good news. A host of angels appeared proclaiming to them that the Christ had been born.

After I was ordained, I immediately moved out to San Diego as I began serving my first congregation. And that first Christmas, the Christmas of 1998, was strange. Everything that was familiar about the holiday was suddenly gone

The most notable difference was that, for the first time in my life, I would not be spending Christmas with my family. I now lived hundreds of miles away from them. And, even though that distance can be covered very quickly by plane, my position required that I be there for Christmas services. I was also single, at the time, meaning I had no family whatsoever with whom to share the holiday.  It was also the first Christmas I’d ever felt lonely.

There were other differences as well. Being alone, I did very little decorating. It was the first Christmas I’d spent without many of the traditional embellishments. I only put up a small tree in my home.

It was odd seeing Christmas lights in palm trees, rather than pine trees, as I drove through the city. It was the first Christmas I’d spent in the warmth, with no winter weather at all. In fact, I spent part of Christmas Eve at the home of the senior pastor, with whom I served, sitting by his pool. It was too cool to swim, but it was lovely on the patio. 

Yet, in spite of the differences, and in spite of the simplicity, it was still Christmas. The message of the season and the hope brought by it were the same. I found that, even though our traditions are nice, they are not what define the day.

You could have the trees and the snow, you could have the family gatherings and presents, but without the gospel, without the message of Jesus’ birth, it would not be Christmas. The other aspects of the day may be fun, but they are not what make it Christmas. It’s Jesus that makes the day what it is.

This is something that we should each consider: Would Christmas be Christmas without a beautiful tree? Would Christmas be Christmas without snow? Would Christmas be Christmas without a big family dinner and time with our loved ones? Would Christmas be Christmas without the weeks of shopping and gift exchanges? Would Christmas be Christmas if all you had was the simple message of the day and the time to glorify God for his salvation?