Posted: 12/19/03
CHRISTMAS VIEW:
Celebrate Christmas from now on
By Charles Walton
We put our Christmas trees up early this year. Our big tree in the living room and our smaller tree in the family room were in their places by Nov. 30.
This is a record for us. We usually do not have a tree up until the middle of December.
One reason for my annual tardiness is that our trees are stored in the attic. Getting them down is difficult. Sometimes, I “skin” my knuckles. Sometimes, I mutter under my breath. I do not anticipate with joy getting our Christmas trees out of the attic. Putting them back is even worse.
For several years, I have been threatening to leave our Christmas trees out all year long. Even though they are artificial, they're both pretty. Both are well-decorated, brilliantly lighted and truly inspiring.
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| Charles Walton |
| I like to think I would have rejoiced with Joseph and Mary and the shepherds, but I suspect I would have been too caught up in my own concerns to notice what God was doing. |
If we kept the trees up all year, we would not have to leave the same decorations on the trees for 12 months. We could change the ornamentation to fit the season.
In December, the trees would be covered with the garnishments of Christmas. For Valentine's Day, we could replace December's ornaments with hearts and cupids with bows and arrows.
In the spring, the trees would be covered with Easter imagery. Each season or special event–such as birthdays, anniversaries and the like–would be represented by appropriate decorations festively hung on a beautiful evergreen.
This seems a fine idea to me, but I have been out-voted by Mrs. Preacher. I know there are only two of us here, but every husband knows that his wife has at least two votes to his one. A tie means she wins.
Brenda says a Christmas tree is for Christmas. She says we did not put up a Valentine tree or an Easter tree or a “Holiday” tree. We put up a Christmas tree.
Several years ago, I did leave up our Christmas tree for three months. I got out the artificial tree on Dec. 18 and took it down on April 1.
Mrs. Preacher is embarrassed for you to know this, but it doesn't bother me.
We put the tree up and decorated it on Dec. 18, and that was the last time we looked at it until January. The “busyness” of the season got in the way of Christmas. We seldom were home long enough to enjoy our tree or anything else about Christmas.
So, for a few nights in January, February and March, I sat in the darkness of our living room with only the lights of the tree for illumination. I played Christmas music, drank apple-cinnamon cider and relished the quiet renewal of solitude.
That was my perspective. Brenda just thought I was weird.
On these special nights, my thoughts almost always returned to the first Christmas. I imagined myself in Bethlehem with all the others forced to be there for the Roman census. I like to think I would have rejoiced with Joseph and Mary and the shepherds, but I suspect I would have been too caught up in my own concerns to notice what God was doing.
When Brenda scolded me for refusing to take down the tree, I said I wasn't through with Christmas. The opposite was true. Christmas wasn't through with me.
A dusty attic is no place for a Christmas tree, especially if storing your tree keeps you from noticing what God is doing.
Christmas is too good a deal to let a cramped attic or a full calendar determine how we celebrate.
God is busy in our world, so leave your tree up all year long–even if your Christmas tree is only in your heart.
Charles Walton is pastor of First Baptist Church in Conroe and sometimes listens to the beat of a different little drummer boy
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