Well now it’s December I can fully immerse myself into the Christmas Spirit and stop shouting at Andy while he is subconsciously whistling Christmas songs ‘STOP IT, IT’S STILL NOVEMBER!’. I have told anyone that will listen about my outrage that on November 26th in Basildon’s Shopping Centre, the queue for Santa’s Grotto was ridiculous. I don’t want to get in the mood too early or I will end up utterly fed up by the time we get there!
So I turned over my calendar on my desk to find a picture of Woody from Toy Story with a little bit of holly and a nice American caption ‘Happy Holidays’.* My advent calendar (I’m very grateful to Andy for saving me from grumpyness and nipping to Sainsbury’s yesterday to get me one) is ‘Merry Christmas! From Peppa and George (Pig)’ – coincidentally the same advent calendar as my 4 and 3 year old nieces. I’m (we’re) surrounded by all this snow and sparkle covered festivity, with very little reference to the true meaning of Christmas. My housemate Karen’s parents bought us a little advent calendar card which we opened the first door of yesterday and there was a picture of a lady dressed in blue…with ‘Mary’ written next to it. It’s a sad time where on the picture of the nativity you have to write the names of the characters in case people don’t know.
More and more Jesus is squeezed out of Christmas – so what are we doing about it this year? How are we making sure we are focusing on the right things this Christmas? How are we not getting so sucked in to the glitz and extras that we forget to communicate the real meaning of Christmas with those around us?
We’ve managed to get tickets to be in the audience of Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Comedy Roadshow, filmed on 13th December, on air on Christmas Day. (I’m VERY excited!) So you may possibly see me on TV on Christmas Day. That got me thinking, if I could wear a T-Shirt with anything written on it that potentially millions of people could see on Christmas Day, what would I want it to say? What one thing would I want to say about what I believe Christmas is really about?
I don’t have answers yet, but take a second to think about it! Viz-A-Viz Ministries have produced the More To Christmas DVD in a card – a great conversation starter to send to friends/families/neighbours – featuring real stories of real people and how God has changed their lives. For more information visit www.vizaviz.org
*I was pleased the other day whilst listening the Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 1 that as he read out a text containing the word ‘Xmas’ he said ‘No, not Xmas, Christmas, please keep the Christ in Christmas.
I’d love to hear your comments of how you are ‘keeping the Christ in Christmas’ this year.
I’m following @natwivity on Twitter – anyone else? What do you think?
I\’ve been thinking about this a lot since I read ur blog a couple of days ago… I have lots of thoughts to share!!
I only started taking my faith seriously about 5/6 years ago when I was about 21, and from that point for a few years I was properly bah-humbug about Christmas, I felt that the way we as a nation celebrate was not a fitting tribute to the saviour of the world and I used to get up on my high horse and preach to people about how we\’ve lost the true meaning of Christmas. Then about 2 or 3 years ago I listened to my pastor, Rev Jerry Brown deliver a very interesting message in the run up to Christmas. I can\’t remember exactly what he said so I can\’t quote directly but the message I left with is that the most important thing about Christmas is my attitude towards it. I\’m guna decorate my tree, my house, and at times even myself!! but I am decorating because I want to express my joy and excitement about the fact that Jesus came to live on earth. I\’m celebrating the birthday o my best friend!! I decorate my tree for Him, I sing songs to him and I am happy because he gave me a freedom and a life that I do not deserve.
Once my mindset had turned into one of joy and celebration I found that sharing the message of Jesus is so easy at Christmas time!! You can walk into any pub in the two weeks before Christmas an I can guarantee that you will meet someone with a Santa hat, see decorations or hear Christmas music. What better conversation starter is there?!!! So I would say that as Christians our job this Christmas, and every Christmas, is to stop feeling sad about how it\’s turned into Xmas and we\’ve lost the real meaning, but to get out there and tell people about the CHRIST part of Christmas!!!
Christmas is the only time of year when people are nice to each other, everyone says hello and wishes each other a merry Christmas. I\’ve had so many chats with random strangers about the meaning of Christmas and been able to tell people about Jesus because of that, do u know some people don\’t even know that the baby in the manger even grew up!!!
Sorry this turned into an essay but I feel so passionately that Christmas is THE BEST time for us to get out there, meet people, talk to them and share the amazing news of Jesus that we so often seem to keep to ourselves.
I follow the natwivity too!!xxx