On Christmas Day I got an email from one of my favorite businesses, a New York camera store that I have patronized for nearly 30 years now. I keep coming back because of their competitive prices and excellent customer service. They’re always trying to sell me something, and I am often interested in what they’re offering, even if I am not really in the market for new camera or telescope equipment at the moment. That’s the reason I haven’t unsubscribed or marked them as spam. I like getting their e-mails. And I’m used to the sales pitches. But this one got me. The opening message was (remember, on Christmas Day): “The holidays are over. Now what?” Then it continued, “You’ve gathered together with family and friends and celebrated the traditions that bring you closer. Now’s the time to print the moments you captured from this holiday season and bring them to life.” Good idea. I don’t print enough pictures these days. Everything’s digital – on my phone or my computer, or my Flickr page online when I get to it…
Wait… Did you say, “The holidays are over?” On Christmas Day?? No! The Christmas holiday has only just started! It’s the first day of Christmas! The first of twelve!
I grew up in a household that observed Advent in the days leading up to Christmas, complete with and advent wreath. Some years we even had Advent calendars. Then on December 23, and not a day before, we put up our Christmas tree. My parents’ living room has a 16 foot ceiling, so we always had a 13-15 foot tree. And trees that big take a while to decorate, especially when your parents insist on putting on icicle tinsel one strand at a time. We would spend the better part of an afternoon and into the evening decorating the tree and listening to Christmas music (and singing along), which always included the first part of Handel’s Messiah. Then it was Christmas for 12 days, and the tree didn’t come down until January 5, the last day of Christmas. Christmas Eve was spent at my father’s parents’ house when I was growing up. Dinner was first, then opening presents, and then going to church at 10:30 or so. Then it was up the next morning to go to church again and then we spent Christmas Day with my mother’s parents and other extended family on that side, with more presents and a sausage dinner. Sausage is still what we have every year, with mashed potatoes and sour kraut. Wouldn’t be Christmas without it.
My family still gets together for Christmas every year, either at my parents’ in St. Louis (still in the same house) or my sister’s in Florida. But we never have our big celebration on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day anymore because we can never all be together then. Nowadays we have our big Christmas dinner and gift exchange around December 27 or December 28 – whenever we can get everyone under the same roof, and we typically are together through at least January 1. I love that. I love that Christmas really is so long, and that we feel free to keep celebrating it.
I give that New York camera shop a pass on not quite getting their Christmas greeting right. They are Jewish after all – closed for all of the Jewish holidays. But we Christians should maybe know better. Or to say it in a way that sounds a little less “judgy,” we Christians should feel free to celebrate and make a big deal out of the whole Christmas season. And 5 of the 12 days of Christmas are in January. You can keep your tree up for all of those days. You can spread your gift giving out. You can even send your Christmas cards out on the 2nd or 3rd of January, and they’ll still probably get to their destinations during Christmas!
If you’re reading this at the beginning of January, then it is still Christmas. So Merry Christmas! Christ is born! God has come among us as one of us to give us peace, joy, and hope. That’s truly something to celebrate. Let’s make the most of it!
+ Pastor Repp
