Home for the Holidays

The celebration of Christmas is by far the greatest holiday time in America.  No other holiday gets as much attention in terms of time, ads, celebrations, parties, gifts and sales.  It is as much a part of our way of life and culture that it is hard to separate it from other things that are happening at the same time.  It is also a time for the kids who are away at college or those sailors and soldiers who are deployed to come home.  It is a great time of the year in which to be thankful and spend some quality time with family and friends.    

Besides being the greatest holiday time, Christmas also has the most symbols that reflect this time of the year.  Each symbol has meaning and history as to why it is associated with Christmas.  And you can see them everywhere.  Some of the most notable symbols include the Christmas tree, holly branches, reefs, lights, decorations, candy canes, snowman, reindeer, Santa Claus, chest nuts, holiday parades, seasonal music and songs.  When you add in the faith community, there are even more symbols including the lighting of candles, the Star of David, special reading of scriptures about the birth of Christ, the wise men from the east, Shepherds in the fields, birth in a manger, angles, and special worship services to commemorate the occasion.      

Let’s not forget some of the thrills of this holiday that include the foods for meals and leftovers.    The food includes ham, turkey, pork chops, eggnog, coconut cake, sweet potato pie, mac and cheese, greens, rolls and corn bread, and of course this is just my short list.  The other thrill is the shopping for gifts for family and friends. There are tons of sales everywhere and there seems to be no shortage of items to choose from.     

But Christmas is much more than the symbols we use, the foods we eat and the shopping we do.  Christmas is about hope, love, joy and peace.  And believe me; we need a lot of each one.  It is about finding the real meaning of the coming of Christ into the world for such a time as this.  It’s a time to remember our blessings, help those who are less fortunate than we are and to find a way to help make our society better.  It is also a time to get together with family and friends, share the values of what we have in common and to focus on our future.  What do you think?