Where Did Christmas Go ?

 I always become a bit melancholy in the days directly after Christmas. Some might say that isn't unusual most feel an anticlimactic let down. But mine goes much deeper. Of course, I am sad that after months of preparation the day seems to come and go, like a quick summer storm that disappears back into the clouds from which it came. My heart almost aches as I walk through the stores with sale signs cascading the picked over shelves. It's as if December 25th is a distant memory the day after it dawns.

Even now driving down the street (December 28th), I have seen any number of Christmas trees cast off to the curb. Why do people insist on erasing any trace of this beautiful day? Theologically the Maji are still tracking their journey to meet the newborn king. 

Yes, I can still hear the squeal of my youngest granddaughter when she opened the Barbie she wanted. The sparkle in her eyes will light my dreams for months. Or my youngest grandson's smile when he saw the collection of books he had asked for and knew it was now complete. These are important and serve as food for our soul. But this can't be all, Christmas must not be lost in a plethora of commercialism, blinding us from carrying the true meaning each day. 

Christmas is not a day, but a spiritual path for your life. Being kind to others, gifting them not simply with material gifts, but gifts of your time, your understanding, your empathy, that is carrying the message of Christmas all year long. But most importantly holding the message of truth inside of you, the message that God sent his only son to save us from sin and teach the whole world how to love. A mere infant surrounded by hay in a makeshift manager gave us our greatest gift and it can't be found under a tree. It can only be found in hearts. It is the gift of salvation and the promise of heaven. That cannot be cast aside with tissue paper and bows. It will never be found in a clearance aisle, or set on a curb, it is eternal, living within each of us. 

Let's not be so quick to cast aside Christmas, but rather savor it and the message that it brings. The lights may dim, and ornaments stored away, but you need only to look within yourself to remember the Christ child and the miracle of his birth to keep those lights shining all year long.