No, my purpose is not to remind you that other people have it rougher than you. They do, but that's not the point, and you probably don't need to be reminded.
What is the point? Some Christmases are better than others, but they can all be good.
The homemade Christmases stand out in my memory the most. As a child, my favorite gift was a dollhouse my cousin made for me. I don't even recall the toys I had circled in the catalogs (yes, I am that old) I had wanted so badly, but I still have that dollhouse-maybe it will be passed to a granddaughter someday. As an adult, I treasure the time we were young parents with two little girls and couldn't afford much more than a tree. We worked together, making one a bunk bed complete with mattresses, blankets and pillows for the older, and fashioning colorful blocks for the younger. With only a couple exceptions, we made them out of scraps and leftovers. We labored of an evening after we put them to bed. They were simple gifts, but the thought, love and craftsmanship that went into them was priceless.
This business was built out of those Christmas memories as well. Some of our best times have been in the kitchen together, playing music, making a mess and baking cookies or making gingerbread houses.
Ours did not look like Korey's, though.
Some years involved a lot less Christmas spirit than others. The majority run together in a blur of frenzied activities and wrapping paper, and a few were harder due to circumstances beyond our control.
We ask ourselves every year, "What is Christmas all about?" My experience has been the more I try to live up to some ideal of the perfect Christmas, the more discontented I am with the outcome.
Is the solution to have low expectations? I don't think so. The only really perfect Christmas happened about 2000 years ago in very humble circumstances. Luke 2:6-14 tells us:
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The absolute best Christmases are those where we take the time to reflect on this passage and its meaning, which doesn't rely on our emotions or expectations to have a powerful impact on our lives. Christmas is ultimately all about love which is explained in John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The good news is we don't have to make everything perfect before we know that love. No amount of decorating, baking, programming or finding just the right gift is involved in this exchange.
In order to experience a wonderful Christmas, we need to accept and cherish the greatest gift ever given as described in Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.