Christmas is inconvenient by design.
Yes, we know what day Christmas will be a year in advance. The date never changes. It’s predictable that way. And the world changes in preparation. The music changes in our stores. People rush around. Pageants and plays and concerts sprinkle across our calendars.
Christmas is unavoidable. And nothing about that is convenient.
- Christmas can land on Sunday.
- We can run out of cash after Black Friday.
- We have so many obligations.
- Planning presents for all these people.
- And planning meals and celebrations and visitations.
- And the crowds!
As magical as the time is, many are blue through it all. Or exhausted by Boxing Day. Desperate to return to normal.
We can try to make Christmas more convenient, but it isn’t convenient. It can be a pain in the neck. And awesome. Disappointing. Painful. Inspiring. Joyful.
Christmas is based on the Incarnation: God’s accepting the inconvenience of being human in Jesus. The beautiful mess that is the human condition reveals the deep inconvenience of being generous.
Remembering that Christmas is a season rather than merely a day we prepare for, can help remind us. Life is more than mere moments. We are allowed to blink. No fear of missing it all.
Love today. And tomorrow. The day after that. Keep it up. That’s a merry Christmas season.