Balancing Acts
It is that time of the year again. The time where I find it difficult to juggle everything: school, shopping, cleaning, laundry, list-making, volunteering, etc. Part of it is due to the weather. I cannot stand the gloominess that comes with rainy December days. I live for the sun, and right now, that big star is hard to come by. I hope we see it tomorrow.
I also find it difficult to find the balance for what Christmas means to us. As Catholics, we primarily celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas time. I try to imprint that onto my children when we speak about Christmas. At the same time, though, the magic of Santa is a huge draw, and rightfully so. Many of my fondest memories come from Christmas when I was a child, especially with respect to the man from the North Pole. The lights of the Christmas tree in the living room, the apprehension I felt when heading up the stairs (maybe I'd see Santa!), heading out to look for Rudolph's nose in the sky. All of those memories are to be cherished, and we try around here to replicate them in some way.
So, in our house, it just might be that the two sides (for lack of a better word) overlap. Celebrating a person's birthday is always (in our house) a happy occasion! Why shouldn't Jesus' birth also be that way? And the warm feelings that come with Santa? Those feelings can put smiles on most anyone's faces! Didn't the Grinch prove that? Either way, there are lessons to be learned. Giving presents, showering people with happiness, donating time and energy to those in need, and generally trying to spread Christmas cheer can be done whether you celebrate the birth of Jesus, or only talk about the man in red. I just need to remember to breathe, and it will all turn out okay.
Do you find it difficult to manage the two sides of Christmas? I'd like to know. [And don't get all righteous on me here. Some of you might say, there is only 1 side of Christmas, and that is the birth of Christ. That conversation can be for another time. As I said, lessons can be learned from either stance. So, we will continue to celebrate from both sides.]
I also find it difficult to find the balance for what Christmas means to us. As Catholics, we primarily celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas time. I try to imprint that onto my children when we speak about Christmas. At the same time, though, the magic of Santa is a huge draw, and rightfully so. Many of my fondest memories come from Christmas when I was a child, especially with respect to the man from the North Pole. The lights of the Christmas tree in the living room, the apprehension I felt when heading up the stairs (maybe I'd see Santa!), heading out to look for Rudolph's nose in the sky. All of those memories are to be cherished, and we try around here to replicate them in some way.
So, in our house, it just might be that the two sides (for lack of a better word) overlap. Celebrating a person's birthday is always (in our house) a happy occasion! Why shouldn't Jesus' birth also be that way? And the warm feelings that come with Santa? Those feelings can put smiles on most anyone's faces! Didn't the Grinch prove that? Either way, there are lessons to be learned. Giving presents, showering people with happiness, donating time and energy to those in need, and generally trying to spread Christmas cheer can be done whether you celebrate the birth of Jesus, or only talk about the man in red. I just need to remember to breathe, and it will all turn out okay.
Do you find it difficult to manage the two sides of Christmas? I'd like to know. [And don't get all righteous on me here. Some of you might say, there is only 1 side of Christmas, and that is the birth of Christ. That conversation can be for another time. As I said, lessons can be learned from either stance. So, we will continue to celebrate from both sides.]
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