23 December 2011

In the Spirit of Christmas


As Christmas Day approaches, my thoughts have been more and more drawn to the Savior, particularly his miraculous coming into this world. I cannot say the same every Christmas. It seems that my appreciation for the true meaning of this sacred holiday has only surfaced within the last few years. I have fond childhood memories of organizing and reorganizing all the presents under our tree. One could say it was my OCD, but I would argue it was my vanity speaking. I remember waking up at some ungodly hour in the morning to rip open the contents of my stocking, some times being disappointed that the quantity of socks out-numbered that of candy.

And how abruptly it all ends. All the anticipation and preparation of Christmas climaxes at a room piled high with new things and strewn with crumpled up balls of wrapping paper. Suddenly, holiday music seams out of season. Sure, we have our new toys to try out in the driveway, but nothing new to look forward to. The post-Christmas blues. You know what I'm talking about. So long as materialistic objects are the source of our Christmas spirit, that is how it will always be. Never completely satisfying.
My Christmas list has gotten increasingly shorter as my testimony of Jesus Christ has grown. And I've noticed how the season tends to be drawn out even past December 25th as He as been the source of my Christmas spirit. I feel so much more fulfilled. Joyful. A lasting joy. Perhaps this is a symptom of maturing. I also find myself tearing up at even the most rote Christmas song. That's probably just a symptom of woman-ness, though I'd like to think spirituality has something to do with it.

What is it that puts you in the Christmas mood? And more importantly, how do you make that mood endure into the new year?

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