Christmas Day 2020
Christmas Day is here! All the time spent planning, baking, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and cleaning all culminate in this one day. For many – especially in our culture – once Christmas Day is over, the season is done. Stores are already preparing for the next big holiday and many people begin “undecorating” as soon as the last gift has been opened.
However, in Western Christianity the Christmas season actually BEGINS on December 25th and lasts until Epiphany begins on January 6th. But even if you don’t have it in you to leave the tree and decorations up, or if you feel let down (as so many do) once the holiday itself has passed, it helps to remember what Christmas represents. So many of the lessons learned through the reflections of the Advent words – comfort, learn, rejoice, pray – along with the feelings and actions represented by typical Christmas words of the season such as peace and joy should be our aspirations every day and not just during a special season.
We spend so much time preparing for Christmas both physically and spiritually. This Christmas in particular has been difficult for everyone. There are those separated from family by the pandemic. Others are struggling with sickness, tragedy or grief. Wherever you are and whatever circumstance you find yourself in, I pray that each and every one of you has found some degree of happiness and hope on this day that will carry you through the rest of this Christmas season and into the new year.
Merry Christmas.
Karri Temple Brackett
December 25, 2020
