My childhood was punctuated by December joy. My mother’s birthday was 23rd December; my father’s Christmas Eve, so celebration was the order of the day for December. My Dad, born a month prematurely, always said that he simply couldn’t wait for Christmas, and so arrived early! I have always, even before I knew Christ, associated this season with celebration and joy.
But Christmas is not just about birthdays and presents, feasting and fun. Many adults tell me that ‘Christmas isn’t the same anymore.’ They tell me, ‘Christmas is just for the kids.’ They mourn the loss of loved ones and as a result find the idea of ‘trimming up’ and celebrating increasingly meaningless as they get older.
If our joy is rooted in people and traditions, it may well dissipate as we get older. But if our joy is rooted in Jesus, then it will flourish and grow, no matter what changes come into our lives, for we have a constant source of joy, a permanent and sure reason for celebration. The birth of Jesus, ‘Immanuel’, God with us, is not just for children. It is a source of joy to us all.
My parents are both dead now, but I still love this season. Christmas isn’t just for the children, nor does it require a childish belief in Father Christmas to make it special. Christmas is about a Rescuer coming to save us, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord choosing to come in the form of a helpless baby. Christmas is all about Jesus, and where Jesus is, there’s joy. He is the very root of joy.
