Reason for the Season
We all have memories about how we have celebrated Christmas.
My fondest come from my parents when I was a small child. At Christmas we
looked forward to sets of new clothes, purchased or home made. We were sure to enjoy special meals with more
pieces and portions of everything than usual. Of course going to church in our
new clothes and cleanly shaven heads was not negotiable. The highlight however,
a Christmas tree my mother made sure was in the house. She would tie gifts and
love messages for each child on the tree more than a week before the great day.
As they say curiosity killed the cat, that said - we only survived by God’s
grace. Anticipation would build up so much that the night before you hardly
slept wanting to find out what the tree held for you. We were at times not less
than ten in the home at a given time. On the day, we would all come together
and each selected a song that would be played on a 'record turntable' while each danced
to their choice song. One year my song was ‘Amanzi
Amakulu’. Only after dancing to your song, would you untie your gift, pull
it from the tree and open it in your own style.
Everyone has reason to celebrate Christmas. We celebrate the
good memories and successes as well as the prospects for the future. We
remember family and friends; celebrate relationships through family reunions
and vacations. It is an excuse to communicate and reconnect with friends and
acquaintances. It is a time to give and receive gifts. In some respects, it
could be a time to forget what has not gone well. We still celebrate to mark
its closure in anticipation for a new episode of renewed hope. No matter what you have been through you can celebrate
that things have not been worse. Be encouraged that you may be down but thank God,
you are not under. Perhaps the next season is the one for your come back and
turn around.
Would you remember two things that mark the essence of Christmas?
Foremost, it is a time to celebrate Jesus’ birth by recounting, and reliving
not only the events but also the significance of His birth. He is the greatest
love and gift. Resultantly, Christmas is
also time to share His love. A time to remember those less privileged and even
the undeserving. God so loved that he gave the undeserving[1].
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