Isn’t that the truth. I headed back to my car thinking, “I’m so over this.” Thank goodness for online shopping I suppose. It’s not that I mind all the gifts and the joy they bring, but we have really sucked the fun right out of the whole thing. We’ve lost the purpose behind it all. I say this every year, but I always find myself longing for an old-fashioned Christmas that exists only in my mind. Childhood Christmases are so magical to us for the simple fact that we were children and didn’t know yet any of the hustle involved in making meals or magical mornings happen. I know for a fact my poor parents had to almost throw down in the Toys R Us store for my 1985 Cabbage Patch Doll. I never knew any of that, I just remember waking up Christmas morning to my beloved doll (his name was Chauncey you guys…) and loving him.
We love and long for new and fresh things in our lives. Never is it more glaringly apparent than this time of year. We are suckers for the shiny gadgets, the soft sweaters, the latest book. All good things, until they become the things. I remember freaking out one December because I was the only mom who didn’t have Ann Voskamp’s new advent book. I spent an entire day of my life running all over town to find it. Once in hand, I really was convinced that this would be the year we finally do advent the right way. We read it for about a week and then it trailed off. It wasn’t a bad book or anything, but at the end of the day, it’s just a book, not the Christ Child himself. It sounds silly, but it took me about two years to come to terms with the fact that my kids just weren’t that into it.
This time of year especially, I need to remind myself that I cannot start with man and squeeze God in as filler. Christ can’t just hold a symbolic top spot on an otherwise long list, He must be everywhere . It was God who addressed man that first Christmas, and it is He who continues to stir our hearts at Christmastime. Things are definitely not what they used to be, as the old man in the store reminded me.
There’s a longing this time of year in my heart for something I know I’ll never quite get. I see glimpses of it, but it’s not going to be fulfilled by any gift or experience this world can offer. We don’t need the latest advent book to find Jesus. I for one can’t read one more hot-take about what I need to be doing this December… not right now anyways. This is a time for quiet, in spite of what everyone at the mall thinks. It’s a time to return to the childlike simplicity and the beauty of the manger and the God who offers us gifts infinitely more lasting than anything we could ever buy.
Into the Foolishness of God 
Just one small reason I no longer celebrate Christmas.
yep, the Christmas that exists only in my mind…Charles Dickens is lurking somewhere near I suspect …
a great reminder that we all need to remember…especially if we are daring and opt to “run out to the Mall” for a quick minute that turns into hours after fighting traffic, circling like Buzzards for a parking spot, praying with aren’t pickpocketed or purse snatched, while pushing our way through the crowd when suddenly it dawns on us…why was it we came here…what were we wanting or needing??? as in it was so long ago when we left to come, we’ve simply forgotten the purpose of the quest…May we actually hold on to our true purpose and quest this Christmas season!!!
Hugs from Georgia my friend 🙂
The purpose of the quest… love that! Thank you!
🙂
“This time of year especially, I need to remind myself that I cannot start with man and squeeze God in as filler.” — Amen, girl!
Well said and I agree . . . CHIRSTmas has been trashed! ~ Hope you have a very blessed and peaceful one in spite of it all!
Thank you! You too!
Thank you for voicing what so many others are sensing this time of year. The most quoted words I have heard from this season is, “I am glad it’s over.”