It’s that time of year, Christmas is almost here! I personally love Christmas. Following are the top five reasons why I love Christmas.
1. Christmas Carols. You either love them or hate them. I’m in the love them category. There is something about singing Christmas carols that brings me great joy. I think the reasons why I love Christmas carols so much are threefold. Reason one; most of the carols we sing are of the ‘traditional’ form and this resonates with my love of the traditional hymn. Reasons two; carols speak of the great reason why we bother to celebrate Christmas – we celebrate the great event of the Incarnation, that is the moment when God took on our human form and became man, for the Salvation of all mankind. Reason three; we sing them together. It may hark back to an old tradition, but there is something to be said about getting together for a big old sing-along.
2. It happens during summer. I know this is only the case in the southern hemisphere but I love the fact that the the holiday season happen during the summer months. What better way to spend holidays then having BBQ’s, going to the beach, or most importantly watching the boxing day test match. The images of a ‘white’ Christmas as portrayed in so many of the Christmas songs sound nice and picturesque, but I would personally prefer my holidays to be spent in the months of ‘singlets, shorts and thongs’.
3. Family. This is probably the reason I love Christmas so much. It is a time when the family gets to together. The happiest memories that I have from my childhood are of the Christmas holidays spent hanging out with my rather large extended family. The long summer days coupled with motorbikes, cubby houses, creeks for swimming, camping and so many other adventures have led to mostly good memories. The mischief that we got up to during the summer holidays, it’s a wonder none of us were seriously injured.
4. Food. Christmas in our family also entails food, great food, and lots of it. From the traditional Christmas cake, baked using the traditional recipe in cardboard boxes, to the roasts (yes more than one), and desserts including the famous trifle, pavlova, and possibly a rocky road cheesecake, the meals Christmas day (and the leftovers consumed for many days after) make Christmas a significant occasion.
5. The fact that it’s Christmas – The Mass of Christ. The whole reason why as Christians we celebrate Christmas, marked by singing, holidays, family and great food, is we are celebrating the great significance of the Incarnation – God becoming man and dwelling among us.
So on that note, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and hope that the holidays are both filled with joy and are a real celebration.
Remembering the reason for the season - Keeping the Christ in Christmas
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