This is my favorite time of the year! And for lots of really good reasons. Here are 7 of my top reasons that I love Christmas:
Christmas Decorations
Doesn’t everything look nice all decorated for the holiday? And it seems to happen earlier every year. I’ll have to admit that we put up our tree a week before Thanksgiving this year. And I have some friends who beat me by two weeks! We seem to leave the tree and decorations up a little longer for the past few years too. I know some folks don’t like it so much, but I’m glad to see the season get expanded a little bit.
Holiday Food
I love to eat, so this reason is at the top of my list! It starts with the Thanksgiving meal and continues right up through Christmas. My wife likes to bake, so there is a non-stop supply of cookies, cakes and pies.
Christmas Parties
Woohoo! Everyone loves a party, right? There’s always at least 3-4 decent Christmas parties every year. And plenty of good food at these too. It’s just great to have more opportunities to slow down a bit and spend some time with some of the people you’re around on a daily basis, but might not really know all that well. You know, the work colleagues, the folks in your Sunday school class, a client and their friends, or maybe a vendor and a group of their clients.
Whatever the group, it’s always nice to have a chance to fellowship with others.
Christmas Music
Call me old fashioned, call me boring, call me whatever you like, but I absolutely love Christmas music. Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole… any of the classics will do just fine. These are the songs I remember as a kid who was all excited about the season. Most of us can sing every word. Sure, by New Years Day we may be ready to put these tunes away, but the memories and cheer that Christmas music brings about are priceless.
Christmas Movies
Well, you might have guessed from the artists that I mentioned above that the classic Christmas movies are some of my favorites. White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Beyond Christmas are at the top of my list.
Christmas Spirit and Cheer
I believe that people are just friendlier this time of year. Folks are more likely to let things go that might be a big deal to them any other time. There is just a spirit of giving and generosity that fills the air and the souls of men and women from all walks of life. Maybe it’s because of the commercial aspect of Christmas and the gift giving that goes on in most families. Maybe it’s because of the charitable acts that many of us get involved in each year. But I think there may be something more to it.
Jesus Christ
The real reason Christmas is my favorite time of the year is because of the one for whom it was named. Every year I am reminded of a love so pure that it is almost impossible to put into words.
Can you imagine what it must have been like for God to step out of heaven in the form of a man and take on all our sins; past, present and future… and to ultimately die for us… just so we may be forgiven?
He did this because He loved us that much. He loved us enough to pay a terrible debt for us so that we could spend eternity with Him.
That’s Christmas to me.
If you have time, give me a call or drop me a note and let me know your top reasons you love Christmas. Merry Christmas to you all!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Bob,
Number 7 is also my favorite reason for Christmas; the celebration of the birth of Christ. Where would we be without HIS love and the hope that HE brings to our life and the world. To HIM be all Glory and Honor.
Let’s get together this week for a cup of coffee. I have three closings this week but I will call you to see if you could meet one morning before 9am.
I look forward to seeing you.
In HIS Peace,
Winston Hodges