{12 Posts of Christmas}: 12 Things I Love About Christmas
Since I loved the 24 days of Thanksgiving posts, I have decided to start yet another blogging countdown to ring in one of my favourite and least favourite holidays: The 12 Posts of Christmas. There are so many reasons to celebrate during this season in December. (And I will explain in a later post why it is also my least favourite holiday.)
So without further ado, I will begin at the top:
12 Things I Love About Christmas
12.) The Red cups at Starbucks. The Christmas season is always started off right with a favourite hot coffee or tea beverage in the iconic red cups from Starbucks. Even if I don’t frequent Starbucks often, if ever, it is a requirement to stop by at least once between Halloween and January. Even if it sounds silly that a different colour coffee cup can bring joy on Christmas, it’s true. Hurrah for the simple things of life.
11.) Scarves and sweaters. Yes, I’m a girl, and I love Christmastime for the sheer delight of dressing up in sweaters and scarves and being toasty warm. Who can deny their love for the totally tacky Christmas sweaters? The ones with the dangling ornaments from the front or a ginormous Santa face, completely with hat and beard? Mmm. The perfect pair of mittens and a warm fuzzy hat make it all complete.
10.) The movies. Some movies are simply classics that my family watches every year. It’s a Beautiful Life. Elf. The Little Drummer Boy. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. No matter how old you are or how many times you have seen them, you always cheer the moment when Clarence gets his wings, or giggle along as Buddy the Elf puts syrup on his spaghetti, or secretly hope along with Hermey as he pines to be a dentist.
9.) The Little Drummer Boy. I love the imagery that this song paints, as the little drummer boy comes before the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph with nothing but the humblest of gifts to bring. He came with nothing but himself and his drum, not with magnificent gifts of gold or myrrh, not with pomp and circumstance. He came with all he had, himself, and he worshipped the Christ in the best way he knew how. And I cannot think of a better position to celebrate Christmas, with humility, with gratitude, with joy in bringing ourselves before Christ and giving Him the praise and honour that He deserves in the best ways that we can.
8.) Christmas lights. It’s a tradition at my house, after the Christmas eve service, after we have each opened one Christmas present, we will load up into the car with carafes of hot cocoa and drive about town, looking at houses adorned with Christmas. It is so beautiful to see the twinkling icicle lights glimmering across the shimmering snow. I love seeing how creative people can be, how dynamic the colourful lights promenade through the darkness with hues of yellow, reds, purples, greens, and blues.
7.) Reading the Christmas story. There is nothing more lovely than sitting down by the fire, snuggling up in a warm blanket, opening the Bible and reading those first words in Luke 2 that everyone has practically memorized. “In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.” The stage is set. A manger in Bethlehem, surrounded by donkeys and oxen, waiting to ring in the birth of the Saviour. The characters wait for their parts to play: Herod, the magi, the shepherds, Mary and Joseph, the angels in the heavens above. And the event that changes the course of history for all of eternity, the birth of a baby, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel. The story unfolds through the pages of the Bible, a recounting of a story that happened thousands of years ago, that still changes and moves and impacts us even as we read it today.
6.) Embracing the inner child. You cannot honestly tell me that as teenagers, college students, even adults, there is not a thrill to Christmas morning. Waking up and wandering downstairs in your pajamas, seeing the tree so brightly glistening, seeing the presents wrapped just so delicately (or not so delicately depending on the giver). Even if the thrill is not as present the older you get, you always reflect upon those early years when Santa had come, and you threw yourself onto your parents’ bed at the wee hours, singing loudly that it was time to open the presents. Even though I did not believe in Santa Clause for most of my childhood years, I enjoyed playing along with my little cousins as they tracked Santa’s sleigh online and wrote letters and put out the milk and cookies. (I also enjoyed eating a couple of the cookies once the kids had gone to bed.)
5.) Snow. Though you really cannot tell, as my blog background is white, it’s snowing! I love snow. I love the crisp white flakes as they gracefully fall from heaven. They coat the corners of our windowpanes with the most ornate stained glass masterpiece. And with snow comes the snowball fights, the sledding, the broken collarbones… (Just kidding.) Snow is such a beautiful thing, and a Christmas just doesn’t quite feel like Christmas without it.
4.) Gifts. I love giving gifts, and I’d be lying to say that I don’t enjoy getting them as well. There is something about picking out a gift that’s just perfect for the people you love, something that’s quirky and cute and useable and sums up your relationship just right. I love the smile that comes on their faces as they unwrap gifts, the joy that comes when they love it as much as you hoped they would. I also love wrapping presents, even if I’m not the best at it. I tend to go a little over the top at times, with ribbons and bows and lots of tape.
3.) Songs and carols. Yes. I love Christmas music. I really could listen to it over and over again, no matter if it’s December or July. There is nothing more uplifting than listening to classics that bring praise to the baby Jesus Christ. The lilting lyrics of O Come, O Come Emmanuel or the worship that pours forth from Oh Holy Night. The joy that bubbles over when you dance along to Go Tell it On the Mountain, or the triumphant glory of Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Who cares about Frosty and Rudolph when Jesus Christ is coming to town!
2.) Spending time with family. Around these holidays, as the weather gets nippy, as the days get darker by the hour, there is nothing more enjoyable than gathering around the kitchen table and enjoying time with family. Whether it is while eating dinner together, or playing a game of Scrabble, or watching Elf or Frosty the Snowman, there is something about Christmas that draws families together.
1.) Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. There is something simply perfect about heaven’s plan of salvation being welcomed to earth as a baby. There is no greater joy in Christmas than celebrating the Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as an innocent babe to grow up to die to save the world. And when all the lights and gifts and trees and songs and cookies and parties are stripped away, He is the only thing that matters. As is said in that cliché fashion, He truly is the reason for the season.
