What Was It about Again?

A commercial triggers an unexpected laugh or perhaps even a tear. It leaves enough of an impact that you find yourself asking others if they saw it.

Then, as you discuss it, it hits you: you can’t for the life of you remember what the commercial was for. You don’t even recall the product that was pitched or the service being sold. In that regard, the commercial would have to be chalked up as an advertising failure! While it was memorable enough to bring up in discussion, you can’t even remember what it was about.

That sums up Christmas for a lot of people. They like it, they think, but they don’t really know what it’s about. The result can often be that this time of year ends up being exhausting or disappointing or both. More to do = more stress (which few of us need more of in our already-in-constant-hyperdrive lives!). More stress = shorter fuse. Shorter fuse = more tension and bickering. Merry Christmas!!!

But it has to be about something, right? So we don our gay apparel and troll the ancient yuletide carols (even if we have no clue what any of that means). We channel our inner Martha Stewart (or Chip & Joanna Gaines?) and transform our home and yard into a wonderland. We craft a witty Christmas letter accompanied by a fine family photo (or at least the one without the kids making any facial disfigurations). We catch our kids’ play or musical performance (or at least someone’s video clip of it). We lay out our gift-giving budget. We take time for traditions. We bake cookies. We clean. We host. Serve. Travel. Visit. Party. Spend. Give…

So. Much. Doing.

The only problem is, when we make all the doing at Christmas our own, we leave little room for God’s doing. That’s when it’s easy to forget what it’s about (assuming we ever even knew in the first place):

I bring you good news of great joy… a Savior was born for you… Christ the Lord.  ‘…peace, good will toward mankind.” (Luke 2:10-14 EHV)

Let Christmas this year be memorable on its own merits, not yours. Let Christmas be about Christ, and be at peace.