It's one of those things that has come along with the commercialization of the Advent season... the decorations spew forth, the gaudy tunes stream out in every marketplace, the red Starbucks cups appear, and all of the sudden it feels like Christmas. My gut reaction in years past has been to resist. It's too much, too soon! They just want me to buy stuff! And yeah, that's part of it. But that doesn't have to be the bottom line. We know Christmas is about more than just what the stores and marketers make of it. It's about more than shopping and eating and watching those cheesy Hallmark movies on Lifetime (which I love, by the way).
Can you really put a timeframe on that? We live in a nation that has never technically been ruled by monarchy, but just the briefest glance at history shows we're pretty much alone in that. The nations of the world know what it is like to have a king, and history is riddled with celebrations of their births (and just as often, deaths). Even Americans have no trouble understanding the value placed on royal blood. So, when it comes to celebrating the birth of the King of Kings? Who, even before His birth, was destined to spill His blood and give His very life for my salvation? It is so humbling. And so celebration-worthy. It makes me want to celebrate every day of the year.It's about celebrating the birth of our King.
If you can be grateful beyond just Thanksgiving Day, then you can certainly celebrate Christmas beyond December 25th, beyond Advent, beyond Epiphany... straight through Easter and all the way back around again. Every Sunday we are reminded of His birth, death, resurrection, and the new life we have in Him. Christmas is a joyous celebration of that new life. And when I listen to Christmas music, the good kind (because the good ones are all about Him), I am reminded of that new life and my heart rejoices. Even as the leaves are falling, the weather is getting chilly, and nature around us seems to be dying -- life is bursting forth anew. Every day.
So, yes, I'm listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. And probably around Valentine's Day. And the Fourth of July. And my birthday. And whenever I feel like it -- which is pretty much always.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
Hear, hear!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me want to celebrate every day of the year.
AMEN ~