Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

Have a traditional Christmas

Monday, December 19th, 2011

There are so many traditions that have built up around Christmas. Many of them come from Victorian times, such as Turkey, Christmas trees, Christmas cards, decorating the house, the list goes on. The latest ‘tradition’ appears to be lighting up the outside of the house with as many brightly coloured decorations as possible, this probably doesn’t have its roots in Victorian tradition! A more recent ‘tradition’ appears to be ‘X Factor and Strictly’.
I hear people say ‘Christmas isn’t what it was, it’s too commercialised!’
Christmas has always been a commercialised event, even the first Christmas was commercialised. Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for a census, called by the local governor, so did everyone else born there. So Bethlehem would have been a very busy place with no room for accommodation, food would have been expensive. We know this because the story of the birth of Jesus tells us about the journey to Bethlehem and there being no room in the inn and Jesus was born in a draughty, smelly stable among the cattle.
Amid that first commercialised Christmas two groups of people were moved to visit the baby, the shepherds and the kings, the poor and the rich. Amid that first commercialised Christmas, the infant Jesus was born, he will be called, wonderful counsellor, everlasting father, the Prince of peace.
The traditions and commercialism of Christmas down the years bring challenges. It can be expensive for some, it can be painful for others. The sheer overwhelming ‘business’ of Christmas can be simply exhausting. Christmas celebrations will come and go, but the gift of Christ is one of hope and unconditional love that is always there, let Christmas be to you a well spring of comfort, joy and peace and may you draw from that well throughout the year to come.