Christmas Reminders

Thankful for reminders outside of myself.

Happy Christmas Eve. I’m sitting here by the twinkling of a tree in my cozy pajamas. My excitement for tomorrow morning is a significant swing from where I was at a month or so ago. I simply wasn’t in the holiday spirit this year. No bah humbug rooted feelings, just…2020.

It was an odd feeling as this is usually MY TIME OF YEAR. Give me all of the cozy feelings, nostalgia, and steaming hot chocolate you can. But, like so much we have experienced in the last 12 months, this holiday season felt different. A year of changed plans, life feeling abnormal, and in our family, losing Doug’s dad in March. There was just no ounce of me that felt celebratory or festive. But, thankfully, God sent me helpful reminders to encourage ringing in the season of perpetual hope.

I’m guessing I’m not the only one who had a hesitant holiday mindset, so thought I would share the reminders with you.

My friend Abby shared a reminder she read about the fact that we should still be decorating, still feeling festive because we are preparing for the coming of the King. It was the nudge I needed to hang the garland, set out the Christmas candles. It shifted my thinking that the activities that are missing or changed this year aren’t necessary; the real reason for the season is a little baby who would start in a manger and eventually, change the entire world.

Second reminder time. I randomly got in contact with a woman from our community who was having trouble affording presents for her kids. She has her own children and also took in her nephews who needed a home. She was laid off from her job due to COVID and shared that she was practicing how to tell them they wouldn’t be having a Christmas this year. Despite the hardship, she had such a positive, joyful spirit. It checked my attitude into a better direction. Here was this selfless woman in a truly difficult season of life sharing nothing but deep care for her nephews and thankfulness for the fact that they all have each other. Humbling.

Final reminder? My sister-in-law Katie always finds lovely, meaningful gifts. Tonight, she gave me a print that so accurately described my feelings this holiday:

“Christmas is wide enough to hold big tensions-of pain and peace. Joy to the world, but sorrow for all that is still broken. The tension of waiting and longing, but knowing that Christmas means that the Messiah has come, victory is His, and someday, all will be made right.”

Waiting, but hopeful. Longing, still hopeful. Remembering through the darkest year in our lives that one day, all will be made whole. It was a welcomed message that traveled straight to my heart and brought a burst of the anticipatory hope we profess.