Well once again Christmas has managed to pass in the twinkling of an eye. The weeks prior to this joyous holiday were spent, in my house at least, in either preparation for visiting relatives (an always anxiety-provoking activity for my mother and in turn the rest of the household) or in massive amounts of traffic. It seems that once again not only has Christmas left in a hurry but the true reason for the season failed to reach the hordes of angry shoppers pushing each other out of the way to snatch that last cashmere sweater.
No, I'm not referring to the geographically incorrect Coca-Cola commercials featuring animals from different poles sharing an ice-cold Coke. I'm not referencing the long neglected greeting card industry. Where in all this hustle and bustle was that ultimate symbol of love and compassion? Joy and peace seem nowhere to be found in mall parking lots and toy stores. Our society jaded by advertising cannot even begin to perceive that truly priceless gift of God made man in a lowly manger.
Now I'm just as guilty as the next person of forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. Honestly, my new iPod touch hasn't left arm's reach since I unwrapped its plastic caccoon, but nothing compares to that sacrifice made long ago. Nothing can come close to the destiny of that child born in the presence of animals. Maybe Christmas truly is about sacrifice: the sacrifice assigned to a mere child, the sacrifice of a family to give their children everything possible, the sacrifice of time, of things, and of ourselves. Modeling that infant we too can experience the true meaning of Christmas.
