Friday, November 16, 2012

A New Perspective

My sweet friend, Candice Scott, said of my Lyla on a recent Facebook post that she will be bringing a lot of perspective into our lives.  This was in response to my story about Lyla explaining how she shared a toothbrush while in the orphanage.  So this post is in response to a new perspective that I have on Christmas, more specifically, starting all things Christmas early in November.

This may be long, so bear with me.  

Growing up, Christmas decorations, songs and celebrating came in December.  Not the day after Thanksgiving, it had to be December.  I don't think this was really a hard rule, it just kinda happened that way.  When I was real young we would go cut down our Christmas tree and put it up the first weekend in December, and the season began there.  So, in my mind that's how it should be.

I married a man who LOVES Thanksgiving, and he is kind of like Scrooge when he sees early signs of Christmas.  He wants us to focus on Thanksgiving, his favorite holiday.  I am not anti-Thanksgiving, but really it pales in comparison to Christmas.  Jesus Birth vs. football and gluttony (ok, so maybe that comparison is a little biased, but you get my point) I had always said that I have no problem waiting until December 1st to put up lights, the tree and all things Christmas.  However, December 1st through December 25th you will hear nothing but Christmas music in my house or in my car, and I didn't want any complaints.  I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!

There have been a few years that we got things out a bit early, for simplicity.  Once we had kids getting things done on a weekday evening was much harder, so lights needed to go up on a weekend.  We made exceptions, but still tried to keep it until after Thanksgiving.

As Christmas decorations began creeping into stores this year Macey and Xander immediately knew that Christmas must be coming soon.  This is the first year that they remembered a past Christmas and were able to get excited about what's to come.  As Lyla was exposed to the word Christmas, she just kind of associated it with decorations, the things she saw in the store.  Honestly, I was just kinda brushing it off, not really saying much and was going to wait until "Christmas" started showing up at our house and then we would explain the true meaning of Christmas.  Well, as you no-Christmas-before-Thanksgiving-believers know, there is propaganda everywhere.

One day at home we were mentioning Christmas, and even Santa Claus (Yes, Santa will be delivering presents to our kids this year. Yes, we will visit him and have their picture taken.  On another note, for another post, I do not know how I feel about that anyore.  So, do not judge me for playing Santa, Lyla has brought a whole new perspective on that idea too.  For another time.) and Kevin said to Lyla, "Do you know what Christmas is?"  She simply said, "No."  There it was, an open door to tell her what Christmas was.

Now, literally, in that instant, before I started talking I thought to myself, "OHMYWORD!  I have a 7 year old child, who has no idea what Christmas is.  She doesn't think it's about getting presents, or telling Santa what you want, or combing through a catalog putting every high priced toy on a want list. DON'T SCREW THIS UP, ALLISON!"  I really did think that.  So, in all of my wisdom I said, "It's Jesus birthday!"  That's it folks, that's all I came up with.  *sigh*

I know it's the truth, I know that is what is important and because she is still gaining an understanding of the English language and her limited knowledge of who Jesus and God are, that was probably the best I could do.  But I felt that I had failed, in a small way.  I want her focus, our focus, to be not only that Jesus was born but that GOD GAVE US HIS SON!  He GAVE US HIS SON!  THAT IS OUR GIFT!  She has memorized John 3:16, and so I could have used that verse, then she could have tied the Bible, God's Word, and all that is in there to the celebration of Christmas, it would have made sense.  But I choked.

So, that's what brings me to this post (I told you it would be long, but I do have a point).  I can't think of a better way to teach my child, who has NO IDEA what Christmas is, the true meaning of Christmas than to live and breathe it everyday.  So that is why we've already been playing Christmas music in our house!  That is why we have already read the Luke 2 version of the Christmas story.  That is why the kids Nativity set is on the coffee table.  That is why tonight our family movie is going to be about Christmas, and why we're headed out to buy some new Christmas books.  My daughter will know that Christmas is a day, but she needs to know that the reason we celebrate Christmas is present all the time.


Like I said, we will do Santa this year, I don't mind Santa, it's fun.  I grew up in a house where Santa was alive and well and I believed until I was way too old and I think I turned out ok.  I always knew that Jesus' birthday was the reason we celebrated and Santa did not take the focus off of Christ...at least in the big picture.  I'm sure I was a bratty kid who wanted everything and may have even cried when I didn't get what I wanted, (sorry, Mom and Dad), but we knew why we were celebrating.


I do agree that Christmas is over-commercialized, it is a greedy holiday for a lot of folks.  However, my new perspective is this, if I can use all the over-commercialized Christmas stuff on TV and in stores to take more time to explain the real meaning of Christmas to my daughter, then I will.  We all need a good reminder about why we celebrate.


So, Christmas time came early in our house...WAY before Thanksgiving. :)

3 comments:

Jamie said...

Thanks for your thoughts! It IS always good to have a chance to reevaluate and think about what we do and why! You and Kevin do such a good job of talking to your kids and explaining and discussing the important questions of life! Praying for you all...and Merry Christmas!!!

Anonymous said...

Merry, Merry Christmas, an a Happy Thanksgiving. :)
MarknLori

Connie said...

I count it a blessing to be able to share in Lyla's first Christmas. It will be fun to sit back and experience it through her eyes.
It may be early in December but Christmas just the same.
It's fun to see the 3 of them having fun with the Nativity set.
Lots of love