Merry Christmas!

Decorating for Christmas in shorts and flip flops…



Last year we just couldn’t really get in the spirit of Christmas. Everything here was so new and awkward. The weather, we found was so tied to our idea of Christmas. Getting our minds in the spirit of decorating and listening to Christmas music was difficult. Making Christmas cookies was out of the question, we couldn’t buy flour and Crisco let alone M&M’s or Hershey kisses for some of our favorites. There were no Christmas programs at the elementary school or church. There was no Christmas party with friends.



But this year is a different story. The weather is still a bit weird but kind of fun. We stood outside hanging lights in summer weather. We think it will be a Griswald Christmas if we can get power to stay on long enough! We’ve been listening to Christmas music. We’re baking cookies (we can now buy M&M’s even if we have to buy 20 little bags to equal what we would normally buy and Hershey kisses with almonds are now on the shelf at Belmart!) We’ve gone so far as to plan a Christmas party with some other missionaries!



All those little traditions aside, last year we were blessed to experience Christmas in a very different light. We talk about “The Reason for the Season” and “getting back to the spirit of Christmas” but honestly, I don’t remember a time where I truly felt we did that. Every Christmas was so filled with shopping, programs, parties, kids asking for every toy and gadget under the sun all to the point of being overwhelmed and so tired by the time Christmas day actually rolled around, it was almost a relief when it was over. Last year though proved different. We didn’t have any of those things. While the activities and such can be good, they can also distract us from “The Reason for the Season”.
We love the fact that our kids don’t see all the catalogs and best toys of the year. Their view of Christmas has changed. Their experience of Christmas has changed. Our experience of Christmas has changed. Changed to really celebrating Christmas because of Jesus and the sacrifice God made in sending his son to live as human just so he could be sacrificed for our sake. It’s the greatest celebration we could ever have, why would we let all the little traditions and expectations of a society that fills itself with stuff override that?
Have a wonderful Christmas! Take time to celebrate!