I love Christmas, I truly do. The whole season, both the Christian and secular traditions. The trees and wreaths, the ribbons and colors, the treats and feasts, I love it all. And the lights. I love the lights. Growing up I loved to drive around town and look at all of the decorated houses, especially the ones on the lakes so we could see the lights reflected in the water. (Okay not lakes, the man-made ponds in housing developments.)
I confess however, that for the last several years I have thought we should move the celebration of Christ's birth to be in the spring or fall since historically that would be more accurate. Then we could just have winter. Maybe have a midwinter celebration. Not a popular idea and one I would only mention in select company, and NEVER to my brother-in-law.
It is funny how a new location can change your perspective though. Living in a place where the sun sets about 4:45 and does not rise until almost 8 am, I am beginning to understand the reason that the call was made to celebrate Christ's birth at the darkest time of the year (in the northern hemisphere anyway).
Christ is our light. A light that the gospel of John tells us can not and will not be overcome by the darkness. As the people in northern climates lose the sun's light, having the light of Christ's birth to focus on seems ideal. After all don't we see light best through the darkness? Don't we feel the warmth and clarity of Jesus' life and love the most when we are struggling out of our darkest places.
So maybe Christmas on Dec. 25 is not historical. I am learning to let that go. Celebrating the brightest light in the world at the darkest time in winter makes sense. It brings hope, and isn't that the message of the Christmas Gospel? The hope the Christ child brought for salvation?
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