Most of the Christmas movies I remember and like are about families and came out when I was still living at home. I am close in age to McCauley Culkin, so I could empathize with him in "Home Alone". I tried to watch "The Santa Clause" Tuesday night and realized just how old it was. It was a simpler time, about family and traditions and the like, more than about gadgets. in fact, there are very few electronics in this movie. Ah, how I miss those days! My family established good traditions for which I am grateful, and I yearn for the chance to set some with a family of my own. Until then, here are a few of my own.
I have to give SOS radio a thunderous applause for playing traditional Christmas music this holiday season. Other radio stations play "holiday songs", but SOS went out of their way to play predominantly carols as well as the songs reminiscent of my youth. You see, every year on Christmas Day my dad would play Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music, most of which is traditional and religious, rather than the tripe like Santa Baby and Feliz Navidad that predominates elsewhere. It made it feel more like Christmases when I was at home and helped me think more about Christ than the other stations ever will.
When I was young, Christmas was all about family. Although we didn't live near extended family, my parents spent time building our own traditions and making it a family affair. During the week prior to Christmas, we went out to look at lights in the neighborhood. My dad read from Luke 2 every Christmas eve and pontificated on the story briefly, and we had a series of musical presentations from each family member since all of us are musical. Before we could see Santa, dad set up the video camera, and before we opened presents, we had traditional pettel roll. We had to sing again before opening a present, and we took turns from eldest to youngest until they were gone. In the afternoon, we'd go for a walk, or in later years go to play tennis.
Christmas has magic because of families. The best Christmases I remember since leaving my parents' house were the ones where I made Christmas for a family. I found two families this year to help, from setting up the tree to telling stories to procuring presents. It helps make it magical when, on Christmas morning, the children awake to presents from Santa that are surprises to the parents as much as to the children, labeled with handwriting that the children do not recognize because they don't know how I write. It gives them hope in someone bigger than they are who believes in giving good gifts, and I like doing it because I believe that Santa is a great metaphor for Christ Himself. Since I don't have my own family or my own children, for a few days at least, I get to be part of that magic for others, and Christmas reminds me of what it meant when I was a boy.
After Christmas Eve, this will be a quiet holiday for me. My parents are going to visit the rest of my siblings, meaning this will be the first Christmas since we left home that my parents see everyone. Despite promises to the contrary, I am still without a family of my own, and when I get home, I'm working on taxes rather than on family memories, on physical fitness rather than on family togetherness, on prep for next term rather than on preparation for next Christmas. Many moons ago, I said adieu To my beloved Katmandu. She's the one with whom I desired to be For time and all eternity. There isn't anywhere I really desire to be since I'm off work until the New Year. Normally this time of year, I go for long walks every evening and talk to God or look for people who need help. Since I don't have a family of my own for which to care, I go looking for members of the Family of Man to help instead.
I like the idea of family togetherness, and traditional Christmas memories. We were a tight family, and I look forward to that possibility for my own family one day. God blessed me with a good family, and my buddy thinks I'll make a good father in my own right one day. Time will tell. Until then, I enjoy playing Santa for others. Since that post doesn't seem to have made it up on my blog, I'll hunt it down and post up this weekend why I think Santa makes a great allegory for Christ, which would be a very Christmasy thing to do. Joy to the world, the Lord is come, and I am so very thankful that He did. Merry Christmas to you all, especially you.
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