I am glad that Christmas is a twelve-day season! For one thing, it usually is not until the eleventh or twelfth day of Christmas that I am able to get out of Christmas-preacher mode and into regular person mode with regard to the holiday. Throughout Advent, Christmas Eve and the Sundays of Christmas, pastors (and church staff, and maybe you as well) are generally in 'production-mode', having to produce Christmas messages and concerning themselves with Christmas programming and preparation that helps make the season meaningful for others; but when the last Sunday of Christmas has come and gone, there are usually still a couple of days left of the season, and these are days that I try to observe, even in the midst of all the new beginnings of the New Year.
In fact, it usually makes it easier for me that most have left Christmas behind by New Year's Day. Trees have been taken down, and decorations stowed back up in the attic until next year. This early shut-down provides an empty space, with no production-pressure, in which I can listen to Christmas carols, light candles, enjoy the tree, and ponder the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke. And tonight, while I did not give 'twelve drummers drumming' to my family, I happily cooked dinner and will take care of the dishes; not a large gift perhaps, but a Christmas gift all the same.
It is not too late! Tomorrow evening we can gather, have some pizza, perhaps sing some Christmas songs, and remember the Christmas story as we put baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the tree and banners, back up for the year. We can give to each other the wonderful Christmas gift of fellowship, and at the same time celebrate the even older Christian festival day of Epiphany, which is Christmas day for many Christians in other parts of the world. Come by tomorrow evening around 7:00 pm. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Randy
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