The Real Reason for the Season

  

This time of year is traditionally a time where friends and family get together and much like others that has been a tradition in our family for many years.  In recent years it's gotten harder as our family has grown much bigger, the distances between us are greater, and of course each family is at that point where they have children of their own and are establishing traditions of their own.

 

    Now, while gathering with friends and family isn't the "reason for the season" it has become something that coincides with it.  The difference between Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year) and say the 4th of July is the giving of gifts.  When  people gather on the 4th they cook burgers and watch fireworks.  At Christmas there is the tradition of giving gifts.  I suppose both holidays are traditional.  Ironically, the focus of both has been lost with either Black Friday sales or cookouts.  We mention our Veterans at some point during the day and the History Channel runs specials all day but it's more important that we get a day off, spend time at the beach, have a huge retail shopping day/weekend and then fireworks (which are rarely ever on the 4th anymore anyway).  Then of course there's Christmas, which, while it is a pagan holiday (History of Christmas) it can still be a day where we, as believers, can choose to celebrate the birth of Christ, regardless of when he was actually born.  Since there is no way we can know for sure the actual date we could celebrate Christmas in August.  The important thing is that we recognize that he was born, not when he was born.  Who cares when he was born.  The fact that he was born is the most important part.  If he hadn't have been born, he couldn't have died.  Then we'd all be in a world of hurt.  Our goal, whenever regardless of when Christmas is celebrated should be to make sure people know why it's celebrated.  That's the best gift we can give.  It's a gift that a lot of us (myself included) have dropped the ball on.    I had a guy say to me that after Christmas Jesus would go back in his cave until Easter.  If I'm at least showing him (and others for that matter) that Jesus is not in a cave but is still alive and with us each and every day I'm doing him and myself a disservice regardless of whether or not he agrees with me.  You know, I wonder if that is more the reason for the season.  To celebrate and share that he was born while remembering (and sharing as well) why we, as believers, celebrate Christmas.