Sunday, December 24, 2006

christmas is

christmas has never really been my favourite time of the year, for several reasons.

first of all, my family doesn't celebrate christmas. i'm the only christian in my family, so we usually spend christmas day celebrating my parents' wedding anniversary (38 years and going strong, yo!). there really isn't any kind of christmas spirit in my house, unless you count the wine at dinner.

secondly, family feuds usually pop up during christmas. last christmas i gave you my heart err we had a christmas dinner where my sister made mashed potatoes and my mother made gravy. problem was, my mother put the potatoes in to cook with the gravy, and that caused a huge hoohah because my sister was upset that the potatoes were pretty much ruined. that led to an argument that escalated to screams and tears...it wasn't pretty.

i am also a perfectionist who hates shopping. christmas means christmas shoppinng. it also means i need to get the perfect gift for everyone, which means i will have to search high and low for it, which means alot of time spent shopping. and i hate shopping. don't get me wrong, i like nothing more than making people happy. i just can't enjoy christmas shopping!

lastly, christmas is not exactly my favourite holiday because it marks the start of the last week of the year. resolutions reflections mushy mushy time. gah. bye bye to the last 365 days. not a very happy occassion, imho.

but it's just impossible to be miserable during christmas, although the occurrence of suicides peaks during the holiday season. how can anyone be sad, when christmas is about celebrating the gift of life, of a second chance, that God has given to us?

i find it odd that although christmas carols are played and sung all over the world now, not many see the truth in the music.

o holy night, the stars are brightly shining
it is the night of the dear Saviour's birth
long lay the world in sin and error pining
til He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth
fall on your knees! o hear the angel's voices!

in all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger
behold your King! before Him lowly bend!

truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
chains He shall break for the slave is our brother
and in His name all oppression shall cease
sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
with all our hearts we praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord! then ever, ever praise we!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!


all the present-buying, the wishes of "merry christmas", the turkey and stuffing...it means absolutely nothing if we don't know that the love and giving of christmas started because God gave us His son, who was sacrificed 30 years after His birth on christmas day, because God loves us to the extent of being willing to do whatever it takes to get us to return to Him.

i hope that this christmas, whether you are a christian or not, do ponder over the real meaning of christmas. we love each other because God loved us first. we give gifts to our loved ones because He gave Jesus Christ to us, whom He loves. that's what christmas is.

a very blessed christmas, everyone! =)

lishun at 3:10 PM

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