My favorite secular Christmas story is Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. I’ve watched every movie
of the original script as well as many adaptions of the storyline. The premise is a classic: A hardened
heart is softened when the person is forced to take a fresh look at his past, a serious look at his present
life, and a glimpse at the wretched future for which he may be headed. But the ending is beautiful in
that we see that change is possible.
A quote from the book has become renown when Ebenezer Scrooge expresses his feelings about the
Christmas experience. He simply replies, “Bah! Humbug!” As I have gotten older, I sometimes find
myself identifying more with ‘ol Scrooge and his attitude. Christmas can become quite a hassle, can’t it?
The decorations, shopping, functions, and get-togethers take their toll on our bodies and emotions.
Don’t get me wrong…Christmas day with our family in our home is one of the highlights of my year.
But notice that when it is the secular aspect of Christmas that we are celebrating, that is when the “Bah!
Humbug!” feeling hits hardest. The spiritual celebration of the birth of Christ is one of inner peace and
satisfaction. The scene of serenity of the nativity inspires emotions of calmness and peace. There is an
inner wonder and amazement that brings rest.
I’m not advocating the total departure from secular Christmas celebrations. Rather, perhaps we should
step back and focus more celebrating the beauty and meaning of the miraculous birth of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. That would bring more peace and rest. I mean, isn’t there a deep feeling of
satisfaction when listening to and singing the sweet carols like “Away in a Manger”, “It Came Upon a
Midnight Clear”, and “O Holy Night”, as opposed to “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”?
Say good things about your Savior and His church on this mountain.
Bro. Tony
of the original script as well as many adaptions of the storyline. The premise is a classic: A hardened
heart is softened when the person is forced to take a fresh look at his past, a serious look at his present
life, and a glimpse at the wretched future for which he may be headed. But the ending is beautiful in
that we see that change is possible.
A quote from the book has become renown when Ebenezer Scrooge expresses his feelings about the
Christmas experience. He simply replies, “Bah! Humbug!” As I have gotten older, I sometimes find
myself identifying more with ‘ol Scrooge and his attitude. Christmas can become quite a hassle, can’t it?
The decorations, shopping, functions, and get-togethers take their toll on our bodies and emotions.
Don’t get me wrong…Christmas day with our family in our home is one of the highlights of my year.
But notice that when it is the secular aspect of Christmas that we are celebrating, that is when the “Bah!
Humbug!” feeling hits hardest. The spiritual celebration of the birth of Christ is one of inner peace and
satisfaction. The scene of serenity of the nativity inspires emotions of calmness and peace. There is an
inner wonder and amazement that brings rest.
I’m not advocating the total departure from secular Christmas celebrations. Rather, perhaps we should
step back and focus more celebrating the beauty and meaning of the miraculous birth of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. That would bring more peace and rest. I mean, isn’t there a deep feeling of
satisfaction when listening to and singing the sweet carols like “Away in a Manger”, “It Came Upon a
Midnight Clear”, and “O Holy Night”, as opposed to “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”?
Say good things about your Savior and His church on this mountain.
Bro. Tony