Itโs December 25. Traditionally the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior. Yet here I am at my desk conducting business as usual. Itโs not really a bah, humbug attitude.
Itโs not that I donโt want to celebrate. Or canโt let go of work long enough to celebrate. We arenโt a family that has decided to forgo what has become anything but a worship and adoration of the Messiah. Our familyโs Christmas โseasonโ will begin tomorrow.
This has led me to think about the date of Christmas. Controversy has surrounded the actual birthday of Jesus. โThe suggestion that Jesus wasnโt actually born on Dec. 25 has been tirelessly debated by theologians, historians and spiritual leaders,โ Sorcha Pollak wrote in a November 22, 2012 article in Time magazine.
Biblical Archeology Review details some theories about Jesusโ birthday. In an article โWhat are some of the common misconceptions about Jesusโ Christ birth?โ ChristianAnswers.net explores not just the actual date we should be celebrating.
Before you cry heretic, letโs look at the โreason for the season.โ We Christian like to talk about keeping Christ in CHRISTmas. Thatโs what our family does. Just sometimes we donโt do it on December 25.
We will have all the American trappings of the holiday: a tree, a nice ham dinner, presents, and reading of the account in Luke. We will also have family together to do so. If we were strict about the date, many of those coming wouldnโt be here.
One family member arrived yesterday after a 27-hour bus trip. Another is coming tomorrow, an 8-hour car trip. The local folks will be arriving on Wednesday; the day we have chosen to have Christmas.
We look forward to cutting and decorating a tree. (Yes, we have the joy of going out on our property and cutting down our tree.) Secretly wrapping and sneaking gifts under the tree. Setting up the Nativity under the tree, while talking about each piece and what a gift God has given us. And eating too much.
For our family this year, itโs the reason for the season that is guiding our Christmas plans. The date just happens to be December 30 for us.
From our home and family to yours โ Blessings and joy this holy season.
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