Do not misunderstand me, I adore Christmas. The music, the lights, the meaning, the traditions, the smells...I love it. But I am increasingly annoyed at how people have allowed the decorating, song playing and celebrating of Christmas to skip right over Thanksgiving.
It is not just the stores, I have come to expect Christmas displays to immediately replace Halloween ones. It is marketing. I have noticed this year, more than ever that it is happening in homes. Last Saturday night I was driving through a nearby neighborhood and noticed quite a few decorated trees already up in living room windows. I found myself saying "Not yet!"
Little R has been begging me to put the Christmas music on my ipod and I have said the same thing to him, "Not yet."
P wanted to go to the mall last Friday to see Santa arrive, "Not yet."
K keeps asking when "Max," our elf, will reappear and her answer is the same, "Not yet."
Yes, there is a small part of me that feels mean. I know it would be much easier to give in and let them start enjoying the things that bring them happiness. But I believe part of the reason these traditions bring such joy is because of the anticipation that builds up in waiting.
To the teenagers so anxious to experience physical love outside the bounds of God's intent in marriage I can almost hear the Holy Spirit whisper "Not yet."
To the single woman who doesn't understand how many more times she will have to be a bridesmaid before she is the one dressed in white...Not yet.
To the couple waiting with open arms for their shot at parenthood...Not yet.
We are reminded countless times through Scripture that we serve an 'on time' God. There is purpose in everything He does, even (dare I say, especially) the waiting.
So this week I will continue to hold my children at bay with "Not yet" so we can enjoy THIS present season...of quietly, humbly reflecting on all we have to be thankful for TODAY.
Next Friday morning I will set my dining room table with my new Christmas china, load up the ipod with Christmas songs, drive to the mall in search of Santa and probably even have an appearance from the elf...but not yet.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
18 comments:
mmmm...not yet...how many times we hear this and complain, but so much more and better will come bc of the waiting!!! yet is coming in february!!! :)
I agree, people rush to get out their Christmas stuff because they just "can't wait" and then you're sick of it by the time Christmas finally gets there... Christmas is so delightful because it's only for a limited time each year. Expand the time and lose the delight.
I hear you. I'm in Australia, we don't even celebrate Thanksgiving but I'm still not ready to start Christmas.
My rule is to put up the tree on Dec 1. Christmas is exciting but I don't want to miss out on what is happening here and now.
I totally agree - the day after Thanksgiving is when we start to celebrate also! A very good life lesson for all little ones(and big ones).
Really good post. Even though I am often guilty of listening to my Christmas music a little early, I agree 100% with what you are saying. Love this post!
I agree, but didn't you go to Toysrus the other day for a Christmas gift? Just asking. :-)
Touché! But really I think shopping is different! That is a matter of budget and being able to enjoy the season without it being about the list. :-)
I so agree! Christmas is a season and a celebration unto itself and shouldn't have to "share" w/ TG, or, more accurately,run TG right over! I have books, decorations and activities for Thanksgiving that the kids look forward to for just htis reason...I don't want TG to be just one more thing to get thru before Christmas comes...it's too important. But I agree about the shopping. And to that end, the wrapping! I get my Christmas fix by preparing for it a little early! Great post!
I agree completely! Well Said!
Very well said. I too have found annoyance at the early "Christmas" birds, but for the reason of the annoyance I could not have said it so eloquently.
I totally agree! We wait until the first Sunday in Advent to decorate (Nov. 29 this year) and take it all down on Epiphany which is always on Jan 6th. The Christmas decorations are up for a good length of time that way, and we get to talk to our kids (young as they are) about Christmas and Epiphany. Each night during Advent we talk about something like Mary talking with the angel or their trip to Bethlehem, and then after Christmas Day we start talking about how the wise men took a really long journey. This year, I'm excited that our little girl will understand more of it. She's seen Christmas trees in magazines and in stores and is already getting excited about it. She's 2 1/2.
Thank you for this post. I am a single 29 year old woman who longs to be married with a family. It is always so hard at the Holidays to buy gifts for all of my friends' children when I don't even have dates. That season seems so far off.
As you said, we always have an "on time" God who can't NOT be perfect. Thank you for reminding me that He is good and "on time".
I know it may be a little early to have the music on my ipod and in the stores and at Starbucks, but I LOVE It! I think I love it because I live in Okinawa, Japan and it reminds me of home. Okinawa is a tropical island and it will never "feel" like Christmas here. Also, the Japanese don't really celebrate Christmas yet they decorate like crazy and they still say "Merry Christmas" not Happy Holidays or holiday tree. We will definitely celebrate Thanksgiving and all the things we are thankful for, but I guess one of the things I'm thankful for this year is seeing Christmas a little early. Being far far from home it makes it easier to bear.
oh, thank you thank you for representing our "camp"! i agree with every single word. i'm done with my shopping, yes, but that's a whole different story...
you're absolutely right on all points! i always bite my tongue when my friends start talking about all their Christmas prep before TG, so it's refreshing to hear from someone who shares my point of view. even though it doesn't appear to be the popular one.
What a precious post.
I have said it so often that now my 7-yr-old will say, "Don't these people know Thanksgiving comes BEFORE Christmas," when she sees decorations up early.
Well said. And great analogy.
I don't mind some random Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving. After all, it's hard to avoid it completely. But at this stage of my life, Christmas feels like OVERKILL, even for the 30 days we celebrate it. I do not need to start it early. The commercialization can wait.
I totally agree that the stores of decorations are tacky and a distraction from the true spirit of this season, but we do begin playing Christmas music on November 1st, which makes the anticipation that much more for our girls.
Shopping is my least favorite aspect of this season, so we don't even contemplate it until after Thanksgiving, but we adore the music and start that as soon as possible.
In the past I have rigidly insisted on no decorations until the day after Thanksgiving, but this year, because of weather concerns, my husband put up the exterior lights yesterday ( even though we really won't light them until Friday) and I didn't fall apart. In fact it even occurred to me that I used to be annoyed by others decorating too soon, and I no longer care or even notice what others do. I'm not sure if it is the approacing age of 40 or exhaustion, but this year I have come to care less what others do and even have more flexibility with my own family... although I will always refuse to allow my husband to purchase a giant inflatable snow globe for the yard:-)
Nice analogy in your post and a good reminder that patience is a virtue. Happy Thanksgiving!
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