They put the bunny into Easter
And tried to forget about what You’ve done,
And Santa Claus came to “Ho, ho, ho!”
So everyone could forget the Son.
***
Waking up on Christmas morning, even as I approach my fifties, there is
still the feeling of ‘birthday’ about it. Christmas is a special morning. But I
was brought up in a secular home and Christ had nothing to do with Christmas. It
was all about Santa or “Father Christmas.” Until I was old enough to work it
out for myself, Father Christmas brought the gifts to our home, using a chimney
(even though we didn’t have one!).
Easter was no different. The bunny had been organised months earlier;
eggs were stocked in the shops from January. In fact, the commercialised world
had cottoned on that they could make money out of Christ (going against the
very meaning of the gospel) almost year round.
Then came Christmas in July! (See where I’m heading.)
Well, now I’m Christian I can see the massive ruse that overtakes all of
us. I shouldn’t be waking up thinking Christmas is like a birthday, because of
the gifts I’ll get. Same for Easter and all those chocolate treats.
I should wake up on both occasions absolutely focused on the meaning of
both calendar events – Christ’s birth and his crucifixion and resurrection.
If I can’t do that I shouldn’t celebrate either event, but make up what
I want as a special day and then make my own meaning.
Let’s make Christmas about Jesus and Him alone, because Jesus would want
us to celebrate family and love, joy and peace: these are the greatest gifts.
© 2014 S. J. Wickham.
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