While running errands this afternoon, I heard the first of what will be many airings of a song parody based on the “12 Days of Christmas.” This particular song has been around for some time and is called the “12 Pains of Christmas.”
The song follows the familiar beat of the “12 Days of Christmas,” but focuses on things many of us see as annoying about this time of year. Some of the “pains” include finding a Christmas tree, paying the bills, the demands for toys from children, and, yes, giving to the Salvation Army. There are others, but what the song conveys as pains are, for the most part, the time consuming aspects of the Christmas season.
Even though the song has been around for some time, I was struck by how easy it is to complain about the “pains” of this season. We are all guilty of it. We complain about the longer lines at shopping centers, the fact there is never enough parking, or the many other things that can frustrate us this time of year.
At Christmas, we can focus so much of our attention on the “little things” of Christmas that it is easy to forget the big thing about Christmas. To do so, requires us to have a desire to see Christmas for what it truly is, a celebration and remembrance of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s easy to say “Keep Christ in Christmas,” and argue about the commercialization of the season. It’s quite another to live in anticipation of the birth of Christ and the Lord’s coming again not just in this season, but every day.
Do not get lost in the busyness of the season. The gifts under the tree are not important. It’s not important that the stockings are hung perfectly by the fireplace. Do not stress over making the batches upon batches of cookies.
Instead, find time to get lost in the fact that God transcended time and gave us the gift that truly keeps on giving in his Son, Jesus Christ. On Christmas morning, we celebrate not the gifts of an iPad or new DVDs, but of a Savior and Lord.
That is truly the most important thing about this season. Everything else is really not that important.
Shannon Blosser 