It Takes A Christmas Village
An Amazing Living-Tradition
What is it about Christmas traditions that bring about so much love, happiness, and good ole’ family fun? Today, let’s pretend to live inside a charming Christmas Village. What do you see?
Let’s take this journey together. Can you see the white wooden steepled church with bright red doors and the large green wreath above the entrance? The townspeople are gathered around the glistening Christmas tree in the front yard singing “Silent Night” holding candles and smiling above at the bright star on the tree-top. Others are hustling down the cobblestone streets, searching for last minute Christmas items at large department stores, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season.
Santa Clause’s helpers are on every street corner ringing the red jingle bells and collecting donations for the poor. Everyone stops, smiles, makes a donation and says, “Merry Christmas”. The snowflakes are falling, homeowners are shoveling, while the kids are throwing snowballs at each other and building snowmen. Moms bring hot chocolate with marshmallows to their families outside. The local Christmas tree lots are brightly lit with white lights and picket fences selling the best blue spruces, balsams, and firs. The smell of pine is permeating the lot and the workers, dressed as elves are helping the patrons tie trees to their cars and handing out candy canes to the kids. Have a” Holly Jolly Christmas” is playing in the background and people are singing, smiling and enjoying the tradition of Christmas tree shopping.
And the lights, oh’ the lights around town are spectacular. Families are in their cars driving down street after street, looking at all the brightly lit houses, the Christmas decorations and finally, stop at that one house, where people gather in awe. The house with abundant lights, Christmas music blaring, the real-life manger, living animals and Santa Clause. Kids running all around, parents smiling, visitors chatting, snow is falling, and love is spreading.
Christmas traditions bring about so much happiness, love, and joy. And you know what? It’s contagious.
Moms and daughters baking cookies…can you smell them? Chocolate chips, oatmeal, magic bars, almond crescents, sugar cookies, and butter cookies — oh my! Dozens and dozens of cookies are made for neighborhood exchanges, work, friends, teachers, entertaining and most importantly for Santa. Yes, Santa! On Christmas Eve, kids are putting out milk and cookies for Santa, and sometimes the reindeer too. Oops, Dads are sneaking cookies for themselves before Christmas.
Families are ice-skating, snow tubing and skiing. They are bundled in snowsuits, hats, mittens, and scarves. Some are enjoying the festivities of the log-cabin lodge while sitting by the fire roasting marshmallows. Others are toasting to a festive-season with homemade eggnog and smores. Everyone is joyful!
Families are enjoying horse and buggy rides on Main Street while eating roasted peanuts and pretzels. While others are watching the Hallmark Channel in front of a toasty fire bundled in blankets and sipping wine. Can you feel the joy of Christmas?
Parents are wrapping presents while watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” and remembering that ‘every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings’. Many kids are watching Rudolph-The-Red-Nosed-Reindeer and Frosty-the-Snowman while making Gingerbread houses for the neighborhood competition.
Some last-minute parents are carrying down bins from the attic of Christmas decorations. The kids are waiting with excitement to begin decorating the tree. “Oh my goodness,” Mom says. “This was our first wedding ornament. And this one, you made in Kindergarten, this is my favorite”. The Christmas decorations are not only decorations, but they are also memories of family, friends, and love. As the kids dig through the boxes, they find memory after memory — ornaments, stockings, the manger, ceramic trees, Christmas books and the Christmas “Star”. Yes, the star of Jesus.
Without that star, this holiday would not be so bright. These joyous feelings would not exist. Christmas is not just a day, it’s a path, it’s a feeling and it’s a “living tradition”. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. So next time, you smile at Christmas or feel a warmth of happiness, remember who is making you smile. He is the “Way, the Truth and the Light”*.
He is the Christmas Village.
Peace to All and to All a Good Night!
*John 14:6
