‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…’
‘Dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh…’
‘Rocking around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop…’
Christmas songs often focus on things we enjoy doing at this time of year. That could be drinking mulled wine or eggnog (both of which I personally hate!)… tucking into chocolates or mince pies or pigs in blankets… going to parties or other outdoor events… playing in the snow. What we enjoy will be personal to each one of us, and it’s not always easy in family life if tastes differ! (One person’s brisk walk in the cold could be another person’s nightmare, for example.) But there’s no doubt that enjoyment adds to a sense of pleasure and can forge bonds of togetherness and unity which enhance our Christmas experiences.
Enjoyment in the simple things of life undoubtedly adds to our overall joy, but God reminds us that He is the source of joy. Ps 16:11 says, ‘You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.’ If we want to know joy that lasts through sorrow and suffering, we will only find that in God. The fact is that He has eternal pleasures for us now – and ones that don’t have any adverse side effects!
