You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘lights’ tag.
In the very entertaining movie Home Alone, it was Christmas. Multi-colored lights decked every house, tinsel hung on every Christmas tree, festive music filled the town square, warmly dressed people scurrying around doing last minute shopping were all a part of the atmosphere.
With this cheerful backdrop there were families experiencing painful tensions. Through many twists and turns and comic relief the story gave us the happy ending that we all desired. The bad guys get caught, an estranged father is reunited with his son and the Christmas spirit is restored in Kevin’s own family just in time for Christmas.
Christmas ought to be just like this story ends. It’s a special time of the year. People should be big enough to set aside petty arguments. There are plenty of other days for knit picking, fighting and perpetuating grudges. Maybe a truce in all strained relationships is a good thing to call during this time of year. I like that idea for Christmas.
Anxiety from the pressures of the economy ought to be postponed too. All year long bills pile up. Many of us offset here and offset there just to distribute what little we have to make ends meet. Christmas shouldn’t add to that.
Creative gifting, shared meals, simplified celebration makes so much sense. Rather than build in the regret for months in the year to come, we can enjoy dialing expenses back and enjoying the ones we love much more than getting caught in the wild spending. I like that idea for Christmas a lot.
Christmas lights are really fun. I loved the idea of putting up lights and using our home as a pallet for highlighting our love of the Savior’s birth. My neighbors are great at it. Some have a creative eye and can easily be called semi-pros at what they do. Rather than get caught up in the comparison dynamic, I am so happy just to do a few simple things. Then, I admire what my neighbors do. Admiring the work of others and not feeling the pressure to compare is another idea that I like for Christmas.
But, in the movie the Christmas backdrop still included the church. Christmas carols lauding the real reason for Christmas was distinctively present. It is Jesus’ birthday. It’s about the story of God’s grace and gift of forgiveness through His son that Christmas highlights. Keeping that at the center is the best idea that I really like. Merry Christmas, everyone!
photo credit: google image
