When I was young, I used to get a little depressed after Christmas. (Who am I kidding, I still get a little depressed after Christmas!)
I don’t fall into that silly depression right after Christmas – I actually love the week right after Christmas. No big plans or agendas or projects or even expectations. Just a lot of rest and home. Basking in the celebration that just occurred. Enjoying the presents just received. Relishing the lingering warmth of friends and family. Delighting in sweet leftovers. Savoring the Christmas lights for just a couple more nights. Opening books. Drinking hot chocolate. Putting together puzzles. And if it snows hard, even better!
I know people who put their Christmas away on January 26 – what?!?! My family’s tradition aims for Epiphany. But eventually even Epiphany arrives. It’s January, and you’re a little embarrassed that your Christmas tree is still up.
So this year, as I “put away” Christmas, I’m determined to come up with a few ways to carry Christmas with me throughout the year. Here are some ideas and plans:
1) Listen to music that is uplifting and positive and celebratory. Besides, maybe Blue Christmas and the ridiculous song Christmas Shoes – do you know any depressing Christmas songs?.
2) Sit in candlelight more often. Around the table with friends. Outside on my deck. It makes any evening or event more magical. And besides, don’t we all look better in soft candlelight?
3) Wrap presents extravagantly with lots of ribbons all year long. It taps into the little creativity and artsy-ness that I possess, and it adds to the joy of giving and spoiling.
4) Attend more children’s programs, concerts, recitals, plays, etc. I watched my nephews participate in their church’s Family Christmas Eve Service this year and it was adorable!
5) Continue discovering the beauty of Bible stories. While I could list 1000 reasons why I love teaching and ministering to teenagers, here is one thing I do not like. They often complain that they have heard the stories from the Bible a thousand times, and are bored with them. It makes me want to wring their necks. I’m a lot older, and I am constantly discovering new and beautiful things about God’s Story. The Christmas story is exceptionally precious, and I enjoyed drinking it in one more time this Christmas. But there are nuggets of beauty, intrigue, and truth tucked into every story.
6) Be more shepherd-like. (This one may take more explanation). I actually heard in our Day care’s Christmas program something I had never thought about before . A cute 5th grade boy in a bathrobe with glasses slipping down his nose and hair going every-which-way, recited loudly a line which sounded something like this: “We have to go to Bethlehem to see the baby. Don’t worry about the sheep. God will take care of our sheep while we’re gone.” In all of my 30+ years listening to the Christmas story, I have never once worried about the sheep. I mean it was the shepherd’s entire life’s work, to guard, protect, watch-over the sheep. And they just run off and leave them to the mercy of thorns, cliffs, and wild predators? “God will take care of our sheep!” I love it. And I bet he did! I bet that not one of those sheep suffered harm while their caretakers were off worshipping the Christ Child. So throughout the rest of the year, I’m going to strive to be more shepherd-like. I’m going to work hard at my life’s work, but I’m also going to be ready and willing for when God calls me to something out-of-the-ordinary. Whether it be a call to go, visit, see, stop, worship, rest, give, do, kneel, etc., I want to trust that he’ll take care of those “sheep-things” that usually consume my time and energy, while I drink in whatever amazing discovery there is to discover!
