Why I Choose to Celebrate Christmas (CHRISTmas)
I know there are a lot of people who refuse to celebrate Christmas, including some Christians. And that is perfectly...their choice. However, I choose to enjoy the celebration, and this is why...
As a young child I can remember my family celebrating Christmas far different from what I heard a lot of other people doing. In our house gifts were not a major focus. It may have been due to our economic state. But I'm not sure that was really the case. Each year our church (each family in the church) would raise money for a home missions offering, I believed was called something like Christmas for Christ. We would save our money in these cans and on a Sunday before Christmas turn it in. This money was used to help home mission churches and the pastor's family.
In the Perry household, Christmas was always about Christ. Unless we were spending Christmas at our grandparents, my sister and I could forget opening gifts until we had our family Christmas morning devotion. To this day, I think reading the "Christmas story" from the King James version of the Bible is my favorite moment of Christmas morning.
My parents taught us early on that December the 25th was not Jesus' birth date. Instead it is a day set aside where Christians around the world focus on the gift of God to mankind -God robed in flesh. Now for those who don't celebrate Christmas because they find it offensive that people would suggest that Jesus was born on 25 December, I would say it's no more strange than us celebrating Martin Luther King's birthday on a day that is not his actual birth date. So, knowing that this is a day, really a month of celebration of the arrival of the King of Kings is a personal duty for me.
I'm not celebrating a baby. No, I'm celebrating the arrival of God with us! If we can give great men and women a day of celebration, surely we can give the God of the universe a time of celebration. Now, for the ubber religious people who would say, "well we should worship and honor God every day!" I say, you are right! So do it!. None the less, why condemn those who choose to join the world in proclaiming Christ the King came to give us life?
I have a great appreciation for my liturgical and Latin friends who have learned to celebrate not just the commercialism of the Holiday Season, but have placed heavy emphases on CHRIST with such things as advent and 3 Kings day. Even many European countries have other days they give gifts to children, but see 25 December as a day to remember the birth of Christ with their family...
As kids my sister and one of our god-bothers would put on a yearly Christmas production for the family. While there were some holiday songs, the story of the birth of Jesus was always center focus. It was how we began our CHRISTmas celebration. It was a time for the family to celebrate the gifts of love, commitment, joy, peace, family and so much more. To this day, I often reflect on those childhood memories and realize how blessed we are that we can celebrate God with us! It's a freedom that some of us may take for granted, and others may find it frivolous. However, I'm sure there are people around the world who facing persecution who would love to have the opportunity to openly take part in this yearly festive celebration called Christmas.
This Christmas, as I celebrate a part from my family, I decided to live the CHRISTmas moment. I started Christmas eve by giving my time at the Annual Citywide Christmas Feast. Then it's off to enjoy a Christmas eve service. Because nothing says Christmas like giving and singing and reflecting on Christ. So to those of you who celebrate this season, Blessed Merry CHRISTmas to you...and to the rest of you, Peace!
As a young child I can remember my family celebrating Christmas far different from what I heard a lot of other people doing. In our house gifts were not a major focus. It may have been due to our economic state. But I'm not sure that was really the case. Each year our church (each family in the church) would raise money for a home missions offering, I believed was called something like Christmas for Christ. We would save our money in these cans and on a Sunday before Christmas turn it in. This money was used to help home mission churches and the pastor's family.
In the Perry household, Christmas was always about Christ. Unless we were spending Christmas at our grandparents, my sister and I could forget opening gifts until we had our family Christmas morning devotion. To this day, I think reading the "Christmas story" from the King James version of the Bible is my favorite moment of Christmas morning.
My parents taught us early on that December the 25th was not Jesus' birth date. Instead it is a day set aside where Christians around the world focus on the gift of God to mankind -God robed in flesh. Now for those who don't celebrate Christmas because they find it offensive that people would suggest that Jesus was born on 25 December, I would say it's no more strange than us celebrating Martin Luther King's birthday on a day that is not his actual birth date. So, knowing that this is a day, really a month of celebration of the arrival of the King of Kings is a personal duty for me.
I'm not celebrating a baby. No, I'm celebrating the arrival of God with us! If we can give great men and women a day of celebration, surely we can give the God of the universe a time of celebration. Now, for the ubber religious people who would say, "well we should worship and honor God every day!" I say, you are right! So do it!. None the less, why condemn those who choose to join the world in proclaiming Christ the King came to give us life?
I have a great appreciation for my liturgical and Latin friends who have learned to celebrate not just the commercialism of the Holiday Season, but have placed heavy emphases on CHRIST with such things as advent and 3 Kings day. Even many European countries have other days they give gifts to children, but see 25 December as a day to remember the birth of Christ with their family...
As kids my sister and one of our god-bothers would put on a yearly Christmas production for the family. While there were some holiday songs, the story of the birth of Jesus was always center focus. It was how we began our CHRISTmas celebration. It was a time for the family to celebrate the gifts of love, commitment, joy, peace, family and so much more. To this day, I often reflect on those childhood memories and realize how blessed we are that we can celebrate God with us! It's a freedom that some of us may take for granted, and others may find it frivolous. However, I'm sure there are people around the world who facing persecution who would love to have the opportunity to openly take part in this yearly festive celebration called Christmas.
This Christmas, as I celebrate a part from my family, I decided to live the CHRISTmas moment. I started Christmas eve by giving my time at the Annual Citywide Christmas Feast. Then it's off to enjoy a Christmas eve service. Because nothing says Christmas like giving and singing and reflecting on Christ. So to those of you who celebrate this season, Blessed Merry CHRISTmas to you...and to the rest of you, Peace!
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