Every year around this time the Christmas memes and gifs get started. Not all of them are well intentioned either. There are many people who seem a little confused as to the true meaning of Christmas. There are many people angry or mocking those that decorate early for Christmas. Here are a couple beliefs that I have at the very core of my morals and values.
You are not allowed to complain that people put their decorations up too early AND then also complain about people not knowing the true meaning of Christmas.
You can't be angry at people if they don't celebrate Jesus's birth at Christmas time and then say they don't know the true meaning of Christmas but you do.
What is this you say? How many of you have your panties in a twist right now? Let me explain myself.
First of all, what is the true meaning of Christmas? I know where many of my friends are going to go because I am a Christian and most of my friends/acquaintances are also Christian. You're going to say that the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. You are correct. It's literally called CHRIST-mas, right? I will not argue that fact. But... and here is where you have to open your mind for a split second....IF Christmas is about Jesus and his birth, isn't Christmas about his life and his teachings as well? Don't we celebrate his birth BECAUSE of the man he was and the fact that he came here to teach us about God and God's way? ANDDDDD ... isn't the very foundation of Jesus's teachings to be kind, love one another and treat each other with understanding and respect? SO... with that in mind, what is the true meaning of Christmas then?
I'm going to blow some of your minds here and tell you that there are many many people who celebrate Christmas who are not Christians. They may not follow any religion at all. They embrace the traditions of Santa, lights, trees, carols and baking. They do celebrate the season by spending time with friends and family and sharing gifts. Wouldn't Jesus himself say that is how he would want his birthday celebrated, a time where people love one another and cherish one another regardless of their religious beliefs? That, folks, is the true meaning of Christmas and Christ.
I have always loved the way Laura Ingalls Wilder explained Santa Claus in her novel, On The Banks of Plum Creek. Wouldn't it be truly wonderful to have Christmas every day? If everyone treated each other with kindness and giving? Like we discussed in my classroom today, giving doesn't have to be expensive gifts. What if each day we gave others our patience, our understanding and our time? Aren't those the greatest gifts of all? Sixth graders "got it". I wish more adults would get it.
Which brings me back to the number 1. How can you call yourself a Christian who believes in the true meaning of Christmas and STILL belittle, shame or be angry at those who want to decorate early? What does it matter to you if someone decorates their house while singing Jingle Bells? Are they abducting you off the street, dragging you into their living room, tying you to a chair all while singing Deck the Halls and screaming "look at my pretty lights! Just look at them!!"? No. They aren't.
Maybe they have had a tough year and just want to look at some pretty lights? Maybe they are very busy and decorating takes them days so they are getting an early start? Maybe the Christmas holiday takes them back to happier times and they just need to feel that happy? Maybe just maybe... it isn't any of your damn business how they decorate in their home? I wouldn't dream of posting a meme saying people really shouldn't have live plants in their home because XYZ.... everyone would jump down my throat telling me it isn't my business what they have in their home. Why do we care about a tree and some lights?
Don't even get me started on people who say we are slighting the other holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. I don't know if you folks realize this but.... and this may come as a shock to you... holidays don't have feelings. The holiday, Thanksgiving, could really not care less if I carve a turkey and make a pumpkin pie. It's a HOLIDAY. Even bigger shocker, IF we don't celebrate Thanksgiving at all - we will probably be appreciating our blessings and thanking those that matter to us if we are celebrating Christmas early because....
......wait for it.....
.....it's the big finale.....
.....keep scrolling....
THAT'S THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.
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