Jingle Bells Time?

 

My husband and I had an evening to ourselves so we decided to have dinner in a quaint, nearby town. Afterward, we took a walk and enjoyed the bright lights already lit for Christmas.

We walked past a kid of about 12 years old sitting on a bench. He asked me if we would like to hear Jingle Bells for a dollar. I politely declined and we kept on walking. My first thought was how enterprising this young man was. As we walked on, I wondered if maybe he had an amazing voice, because I couldn't imagine anyone offering to do that if they didn't. Maybe we really missed out on something, I don't know.

Later, as I was thinking about it, I was saddened a little by the exchange. I'm not sure why, but I guess the idea of paying to hear a Christmas song didn't seem quite right.

Every year when Christmas arrives before Thanksgiving, I have resisted it. It's just for stores to make more money. It's just to give people longer to buy more of what they don't need. And, it completely dismisses the idea of Advent (the four weeks we use to prepare ourselves for the birth of Jesus leading up to Christmas.)

Over the years I have softened on this--just a little. Last year I agreed that we could turn on our outside lights about the 2nd or 3rd week of Advent. It really did give us more time to enjoy them and served as a good reminder of what was to come. I've always liked to wait until just before Christmas so the blast of joy they bring can announce Christmas, but turning them on a little earlier wasn't so bad.

We are among those families that have always waited to celebrate Christmas until the birth of Jesus, rather than before. When you align your days with the Church's calendar, it makes perfect sense, and December 25th is welcomed, not a sign of the end of a season.

If we get a Christmas tree (some years we set up our nativity scene with a little fir tree instead), we typically leave it green until just before Christmas (churches do this as well, for good reason.) The barren tree has always been a good reminder that we are in Advent.

I know all of this may seem strange to the rest of the world that aligns its days with retail sales, but operating this way has brought us much peace leading up to Christmas, and great joy.

I have come to accept that for extended family gatherings, sometimes celebrating Christmas during Advent is a practical decision that allows for everyone to come together, and as families expand, traditions sometimes have to change in order to work.

But there's one "tradition" that will never change for me, and that is writing about the importance of Advent and encouraging you to begin preparing for it now. Look up the meaning of Advent. Get your Advent wreath. Plan your prayerful time together.

I promise you it will be the best thing you can do in the midst of the dark days leading up to Christmas. Let the Light of Christ bring brightness into your days, rather than the "Big Sale" signs that will be begging for your attention.

Janet Cassidy

janetcassidy.com

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