First of all, I’m five years old and I really like Christmas.
I remember one time, when I was little and our kitchen was not yet renovated* I was like, “MOM I LOVE CHRISTMAS! IT’S SO EXCITING! I’M SO EXCITED!”
And she was like, “Well, let’s hope you don’t loose that as you grow older.”
Probably because, well, I don’t know: FIVE KIDS IN FIVE YEARS and shopping and baking decorating and entertaining isn’t as fun and easy as being six and eating sugar and opening presents? Maybe I’m close?
Anyway.
I still think this season is magic.
For one: big band is played on the radio. Usually, we get top-40 songs about how much people hate and degrade each other. I mean, yeah, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is actually gross&nasty, but I’m not about to complain about more Rat Pack on the radio ever ever.
Also: society as a whole is suddenly into Baby Jesus. Not complaining.
And: Christmas lights. Darkness is hard on me, but, somehow, most adults are like, “You know what we should do? Put twinkling, colorful lights everywhere.” OK. That’s so fun!
Plus: Christmas trees! I love seeing them! I love it! I love how it’s an art form that people feel they can do, so they all decorate with as much love, pizazz and creativity as they can muster. This is phenomenal.
And, we’re in the second week of Advent.
The theme for the first week of Advent was “hope.”
And I went to adoration last week all, “MAKE STRAIGHT THE PATHS! FILL IN THE VALLEYS! LEVEL THE HILLS! Yeeeeeeah, HOLIDAYS! Do all the things!”
And by the next Sunday I was kind of an antsy, angsty mess of, “Blah, there’s so much to do and I’ll never accomplish it all ever ever. WhatshouldIcut, hmmm, probably some prayer time.”
Stupid choice, yo!
And then the Church was all, “Hey, kid, this week’s theme is ‘peace’.”
And I was like, “Sweet honey, yes. I’ll take it.”
I love the theme of hope to kick-start us into this season of love and wonder and generosity.
But I also love the theme of peace, to keep my heart focused where it needs to be focused, to remind me of the importance of prayer, and to allow myself time for reflection.
You know what’s fun? Sitting in the dark, praying and looking at a lit Christmas Tree.
All right!
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
The end.
*Not that most of you would know or care about the timing of our kitchen renovation, but, it plays a part of where I was standing and where my mom was standing relative to washing dishes in the sink when said-memory occurred, and that’s why I shared. Carry on, fair reader, carry on.