What's it Really All About?

The house is nearly decorated- the weatherman said Saturday would be our best weather for the week --so I worked at feverish pitch all day putting the garlands up to the windows -- and setting up the 20 yr. old tree with lights. . .ornaments will find a branch over the next two weeks.

As I fell into bed Sat. night-- I asked myself why was I doing all this, anyway, since none of us were going to be home for the holidays and I didn't have any big parties on the calendar. . . wasn't it a waste of time? Terry did wander through all the holiday clutter in the living/dining room Sat. evening -- looked around and said, "I know it's up to you to do it all -- but I'm sure glad you do."


I guess it's about TRADITION! (yes, Tevia - like the song) -- Every year for as long as I can remember we have decorated the house Thanksgiving weekend. Years ago we always held a huge holiday open house for the church. I'd cook and bake for days and 150 people would come. . . and they added to our Christmas decor. Now that I teach fulltime -- we're lucky to have a couple of batches of candy made after school turns out for the semester.


Each piece I put up holds a certain significance - each a reminder of treasured relationships and special people -- special times in our lives. I get this warm glow inside as I unpack my Christmas treasures.

So, it's the same every year --

We use the holiday mugs the Altman's and Dot gave us.

I place the crocheted tree that Clyde's wife made for us with the Christmas village my Mom made several years ago.

I hang the dog ornaments Dot gave us so many Christmases in a row. . . she was a true holiday fanatic! There's ornaments from different friends and church family through the years as well.

There's all the decorations our kids helped me make years ago when their chubby little hands did such creative work-- the fabric wreath that Bethany stuffed -- the ornaments they made in school -- their hand-painted wooded houses -- and the ornaments I have collected for them through the years. The ornaments with scenes my mother painted, even a few from my grandmother's tree.


I set up the nativity creches from Bethlahem, Geeta and the Callahans,

Place my snowmen from Geeta all over the house and add the clip-on candles from Austria, the ornaments from Mexico and India.

I have to hang the Christmas quilt I made in '93 . . it took me so long to make

and put the reindeer out front my brother made with his bandsaw in the late 70's.

I don't have to buy any decorations for Christmas -- my attic is full.


I have a collection of Santa's that I love -- one looks just like the Father Christmas that we saw when we were ice skating in Vienna in the winter of '88.
He was a skinny old man in a tattered red bathrobe, looking worn and weary with a bundle of sticks -- just like the ones you read about in the old Christmas tales.

I have heard people upset about Santa robbing the true meaning of Christmas-- the thought came, isn't Santa really people's search for a Beneficent God? Isn't he like a God-substitute that someone created years ago?

That's where the whole point of the Christmas story gets lost -- We have the real thing!


This year as I explain the story to my Sunday school primaries in anticipation of their upcoming Christmas presentation -- I want them to see that the gift God gave to us in the manger has become the answer to all our needs each and every day. . . He is the Way when we feel lost, He is our Provider when we are in need, He's the Lamb of God who WAS the sacrifice for us . . .He's the WORD when we're clueless . . He's the Everlasting Father when our's are absent or gone. . .the Prince of Peace when we are upset and hassled. He is LORD over life . . . He truly is our King of Kings!!! HE IS THE GIFT!!!!