Everyone have a lovely and joyful Merry Christmas
The time is drawing close; soon the sleigh will glide through the sky, the reindeer will clatter on our roofs and tomorrow will bring, finally, the celebration of both the birth of Jesus and the arrival of Santa Claus. It’s a magical time of year, made even more special with the convergence of the religious and the secular.
Each Christmas celebration is unique, and each year brings new memories and joys. But Christmas is also filled with a lifetime of memories, a journey through the seasons of our lives.
Looking back, we remember our earliest Christmases, the days when Santa Claus was as real as the fairy tales we heard before bedtime. It was pure joy, and the beginning of years of Christmas memories. But the years when our own children experienced the pure joy of a Christmas when fantasies are real are maybe even more special. Watching, loving, experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child is about as special as it can get.
Remembering the stages of our own lives through our Christmas memories reminds us of the experiences in our lives. From the days when we dreamed of receiving the most special gift in the world to the day when we recognized how much more wonderful it is to give someone else that most special gift was a major change to our way of looking at the world.
We can remember facing the reality of Santa’s identity which, thanks to our parents, didn’t really affect the joy on Christmas morning. But, as grownups, we have had to face much tougher realities when some years’ holidays were darkened by the loss of a loved one or life events that hampered our feelings of joy. Those years were more difficult than others but still reminded us there is hope and that the joy will return.
We remember our first Christmas away from home. We remember our first Christmas after we were married. We remember holidays that were special for our children. Certain smells or foods or traditions bring back much-loved memories. We only have to pick up a certain ornament to remember why it is special. We remember the questions: “Why do I get the gifts if it is Jesus’ birthday?” “Why is there more than one Santa Claus?” “How will Santa know where I am?”
Those wonderful memories all come together to make our Christmas special, and Sunday one of our goals will be to make more memories for ourselves and our loved ones. We will also be thankful for all our old memories.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have such special memories stored away, and those of us who have them should be thankful. We hope the others are busy making new memories, so the magic of the holidays will continue for years, reminiscent of each new year’s joy.
So, tomorrow is the big day. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, Santa has arrived and families gather for love and merriment. We will reflect on past celebrations and enjoy the nostalgia of memory lane while at the same we are creating new stories, new joys to be held in our hearts for future years.
We wish each of you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas. May your day be filled with love and joy.