Happy 2006!
I've never really questioned why our traditional New Year takes place near the beginning of winter. But if you think about it, especially as you get more northerly in the in the northern hemisphere, it's kind of odd. Yep, all the leaves are way past brown now, and the sky has been gray for months...Hurray! Let's celebrate new beginnings.
It seems like it would be more natural to celebrate when the earth around us is actually beginning to regenerate? I guess it helps to set your mind on what's to come and intentionally let go of what has been in the past. That transition probably takes me a full 2 to 3 months to do anyway, just gearing up for the things to come: spring flowers, warm weather, 4th of July party celebrations, and summer plans!!!
This year taught me so much about the importance of traditions in helping you set your mind on something. Due to the chaos of our remodel didn't do any decorating for Christmas. And we did much less gift shopping and basically no festive celebrating. It never felt like Christmas during the season leading up to it, and I originally thought "No big deal. That's just the trappings of the commercial holiday. We don't NEED that to focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place -- to wonder at God's great gift to us, through the birth of Jesus.
And while it's true, we don't absolutely need all those doo-dads and baubles to make Christmas meaningful, I never realized how much it helps me to establish that focus. When I set up our little ceramic nativity in the niche above the fireplace, I think through the laundry list of remembrances:
***My parents had a nativity set, and I'd always play with the animals on our living room carpet. I tried to get a set in adulthood that most closely resembled that old one.
***I never had a clue why / how the nativity was related to Christmas. Christmas in the Murphy household was all about Santa.
***There were some little tidbits when I was young that told about the real meaning of Christmas. The "Little Drummer Boy" Christmas special, and "Nestor the Long Eared Donkey" but both always made me cry - when the Drummer Boy's lamb gets run over and when Nestor's mom dies protecting him from the cold. (I would still cry if I saw them today.)
***Then I wander through my memories to that first Christmas after becoming a believer in Jesus, and how different and new it all was. Suddenly, those mysteries from childhood came into clarity. I spent several years learning about Christmas all over again.
I missed that process this year. There were no hours spent thinking upon the true meaning, and my journey in understanding it. There was no preparation, no fixing my sights on the day, no readying my heart.
Both Eric and I agreed that it only started to feel like Christmas several days afterwards. Once we had been to church, sung the songs, sat and talked among family, watched the little ones tear into presents, feel that Christmas cheer all around us.
Next year, I'm decorating, no matter what! Merry belated Christmas to you all!
Good to hear your voice. Happy New Year.
**And so good to talk to you just now. Such timing!**
I also have thought that New Year's would be better celebrated in perhaps late March, when the regeneration of Spring begins. But this year, we had a hard November and December, bitterly cold with lots of snow, and then it all began to melt away when New Year's approached. The last few days, in fact, the temperature has reached the 40's and it has felt like Spring has sprung. But I won't go gassing up my lawnmower just yet. I have to find some way to de-ice my driveway first--no snow on the ground, but the driveway full of packed-snow-turned-to-thick-ice is still nearly impassable. Ah, winter.
Happy New Year, my friend.
So glad you shared what little bit of Christmas fever you had with us.
Blessings and merriment I send to you.
Love ya!
decorations, traditions, celebratinons...all of it...I love Christmas.
And thinking of me's post: anyone can visit the midnight mass at a liturgical church Christmas Eve. They're often very beautiful, especially at the larger cathedrals.
Nice to hear from you K.
t
else it wouldnt be christmas...
i dont know...
but i know we must continue the tradition...with the advancement of technology...people are less humane and traditions are forgotten years by years...
i try hard to stick with traditions..as you know...we chinese have tonnes of Do's and Dont's during celebration and festival time...
oh yah... chinese new year is just around the corner...now i must start decorating my house
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