Bring on the Lights!

A big thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway! The winners have been contacted, congratulations to Ally, Cheryl and Misti! We had a very official name drawing in our living room last night, with torn up pieces of composition paper and a christmas cookie jar . . . we’re very serious about our giveaways For the rest of you, you can still purchase Stones of Remembrance by clicking the “Buy the book” tab at the top of this page!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because in the U.S.,  the door is thrown wide open for Christmas to come and have it’s merry way. It used to be that stores didn’t put anything Christmas-y out until after Thanksgiving, and you weren’t allowed to breathe a word about the most wonderful season until the leftovers were boxed into the fridge and your turkey-eating pants were pulled tight around your waistline. I don’t know when the switch happened, but Christmas started showing up in stores a month ago here. Once Christmas is over, Valentine’s hearts will appear and so on, all the holidays commercialized way before their time.

I don’t mind so much that the Christmas decor comes out early, I grew up in Canada and there were no rules as to when we could pull the tree out and string up some lights. I don’t feel like it’s breaking some cardinal rule to put your decorations up the first week of November . . . but, Christmas is my all-time favorite holiday. It’s also my weepiest holiday. Lights on houses make me cry, carols make me cry, the campaigns for the less fortunate on the radio make me bawl. I just love Christmas. I love what it stands for in my home, that Jesus was the gift that brought us salvation. I think the Christmas story is probably my favorite Bible story too.

This is the first year that we’ve ever had Christmas lights on our house, and I’m beyond excited. We can see our lights from the highway outside of our neighborhood, I might be a nerd, but I think that’s so cool. I also think our house is the prettiest in our little section as well, and definitely on our street so far, because we’re the only one with lights up!

I could sit and stare at this Christmas tree for hours.

Tonight we went to the Parade of Lights downtown. We lasted for half of it before Thing #2 started melting down from having to walk so far and stand for so long. There were a lot of banners on floats saying, “Keep Christ in Christmas!” and “Put Christ back in Christmas!”

I’ve always been somewhat disappointed in how commercialized Christmas becomes, it’s hard for me sometimes to rise above expectations and financial barriers and get my focus back on the reason we celebrate, but as I thought about it tonight, I thought it kind of silly that we campaign for such a thing . . . because obviously Christ is the center of Christmas, and that will never change no matter what the world does or says. There’s a song that used to be on one of my old Kids Christmas cassette tapes (it was red!) that said, “Christmas isn’t Christmas without the birth of Jesus.” I’ve had that song in my head today, and I’ve laughed at it, because it’s cheesy and old but it’s so true.

Maybe the world doesn’t want to acknowledge Him. Maybe it’s easier to get caught up in Santa and presents and Black Friday sales, but regardless, Christ is the very reason behind Christmas, and there is no amount of commercialization that will change that. The Bible says that the rocks will cry out if necessary! So even if the entire world turns it’s back on Jesus, creation will still praise Him.

No super wise words from me tonight, just some observations and a very contented heart while I sip wine and let the soft light of the Christmas tree soothe my soul. This is my favorite season of all. I have a gift for you, coming soon, so stay tuned! Happy Thanksgiving and now, I think I’m officially allowed to say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

What is your favorite holiday? Favorite part of Christmas?