Day 175: White Christmas

It's a white Christmas this year for my general area of the U.S. This is something that doesn't happen very often, so it is pretty cool when it does. We have about 3" on the ground right now, as I type and possibly a little more overnight and tomorrow. So, it is officially a white Christmas.

Now that it has happened, why is it such a big deal? I mean it is beautiful to see God drape His creation in a spotless white blanket, but why do people associate it with Christmas? Why do people want to make a big deal about it? I have no idea and a quick internet search did not turn up any answers. If anyone knows the answer of why it is desired, let me know. And not "because I want a white Christmas".

One thing that must be the focus of anything with Christmas is Christ. Not only His birth, but also His sinless life and His death on the cross for our sins. You can not exclude any part of Christs life on earth when celebrating Him. Without the purpose of the cross and His sacrifice, there would have been no cradle.

I guess Christmas has become just a commercialized machine as of late. Retailers trying to outdo each other with "bargains", selling decoration in the stores even before Halloween, Black Friday extravaganzas. That is only the commercialized part. On the consumer part, the retailers could do nothing like they do without the financing of their customers. People always try to outdo one another with giving, decorating, singing, participating in festivities or whatever else people do just because. Most of the things people do are from tradition and because their parents did it. I mean why do we decorate trees? Hang lights? Wrap presents? Use stockings to put small gifts in? Kiss under the mistletoe? Why do we do what we do?

I plan on doing a fairly in depth study of the celebration of Christmas, beyond what I already know. By "already know" I mean all of the pagan influences from the early church to pull their members away from the sun celebration. I want to know how things were incorporated into the celebration of the Saviors birth. Once again, if anyone has substantiated wisdom on this please respond here or send me a message.

May the joy of the Lord flood each of your lives, not just at Christmas time, but throughout the year. He is not only the reason for the season, He is he Reason for everything! To God be the glory, great things He has done.