Of Hanging On

In the past I've been eager to get Christmas decorations up (but only after Thanksgiving), but when we're into the New Year they tend to seem so overdue and out of place.  It typically feels strange having a tree in my living room past December 26 (even though we're usually not home to deal with it until after January 1st anyway).

This year, I'm at January 4th and the stockings are still hung from the chimney with care, our tree sits serenely in the corner and has been lit for the past couple of evenings.  Although my sister-in-law gifted me an entire set of seasonal banners, including "Happy New Year", "Let it Snow", and "LOVE" - any one of which would be appropriate at this time of year, the one I hung from the mantle when we arrived home January 2nd?  "Merry Christmas"

I'm not sure what happened to me this time around, but festooning my home in Christmas garb the second week of November?  Having no desire to take it down the first week of January?  Apparently I'm having a rough time letting go of Christmas.

What I've loved most about this Christmas above all others is I found myself really connecting with the purpose of Christmas - with the reality of the Christ child fulfilling God's promise and connecting the lowly Gentiles, not just those of God's original chosen people, but everyone with our Creator, bringing grace to the world - a concept that was completely foreign to anyone of that time.  God in flesh.

It matters not how many times I've sung the carols or seen the phrase denoting the Reason for the Season, it just never seemed to hit me the way it did this year.

And I'm not wanting to lose the reminders, I suppose.

So with that, a Merry Christmas to all . . .