Sunday and Santa.
Holiday hazard on the horizon! Christmas lands on a Sunday this year! The last time this calendar catastrophy happened there was all kinds of debate in the church world over canceling worship services so that family celebrations wouldn't be interupted. Many churches did indeed put aside the Sunday worship service for the holiday.
I find it confusing in a world where those of faith are protesting the greeting "Happy Holidays" and insisting on "Merry Christmas" and where facebook posts of "If you love Jesus you'll post this. He's watching you. If you deny Jesus in front of men He'll deny you." that we would so readily forsake our weekly corporate worship. After all, who is it that we worship? And what is it that we celebrate on Christmas? Does not the very name of the holiday point the church to worship?
It's not the birth of a baby that we remember on Christmas, but the birth of a Saviour. A Saviour who sacrificed his place by the Father to take on the discomforts and inconviences of the flesh so that He could walk with us and then die for us.
Do we not celebrate family on Christmas? Absolutely! For God not only designed and created the family but then placed His Son in an earthly family. The question is, "What are we worshipping?" Is it warm and tender images of fuzzy headed children running down the stairs in their footed pajamas to the Christmas tree with their eyes full of wonder? Or pictures of the family gathered round the fire singing carols and drinking cocoa? Or is it something else?
Personally, I love being with my church family on Christmas and Easter. Who better than my family and church family to be with on these days of all days? And what better day for the lights to be on in our local churches than Christmas?
Now, all that said, a Sunday Christmas can present some challenges, especially if your children are die hards for tradition! Ahh....you say, "But don't have little ones!" So true, my five children range in age from 9 to 20, but they haven't always been this old! There was a day when my home was filled with little men and a young girl and Christmas fell on Sunday sometimes then too! And add to it that we are the Pastor's family, we have to arrive early and are usually the last to leave. Yes, I understand! But I have some ideas to make a Sunday Christmas morning work.
Christmas Sunday Survival Tips.
1. Keep things simple. Forget Martha Stewart and Norman Rockwell images.
2. Start early. Don't wait till Christmas Eve to wrap presents. Wrap and stash early. The fewer you buy, the less there is to wrap!
3. Plan ahead. Even the week before Christmas set out Sunday clothes for the family. Keep on top of dressers ready for Sunday morning. Skip the fancy dresses and complicated hair-do's. Just clean and presentable.
4. Think about breakfast. Breakfast casseroles can be prepared two or three days before and kept ready in the fridge. Or a simple breakfast of sweet breads and boiled eggs works well and can be served to snack on while opening presents.
5. Get the kids on your team. Talk to them before the big day about what the schedule is going to be and any changes from last year that will be taking place. Will we be opening our presents before service and then emptying our stockings when we come home?
6. Enlist Santa. Share with your children the history of Saint Nicolas and his love of God. Would it not be honoring to him for our family to keep Sunday worship on Christmas?
7. Attitude is everything. Worship service isn't an interference to our holiday but one of the highlights!
8. Relax and enjoy the day! It's not often that we get to be with our church families on Christmas morning. Make it a special event.
Merry CHRISTmas!
I find it confusing in a world where those of faith are protesting the greeting "Happy Holidays" and insisting on "Merry Christmas" and where facebook posts of "If you love Jesus you'll post this. He's watching you. If you deny Jesus in front of men He'll deny you." that we would so readily forsake our weekly corporate worship. After all, who is it that we worship? And what is it that we celebrate on Christmas? Does not the very name of the holiday point the church to worship?
It's not the birth of a baby that we remember on Christmas, but the birth of a Saviour. A Saviour who sacrificed his place by the Father to take on the discomforts and inconviences of the flesh so that He could walk with us and then die for us.
Do we not celebrate family on Christmas? Absolutely! For God not only designed and created the family but then placed His Son in an earthly family. The question is, "What are we worshipping?" Is it warm and tender images of fuzzy headed children running down the stairs in their footed pajamas to the Christmas tree with their eyes full of wonder? Or pictures of the family gathered round the fire singing carols and drinking cocoa? Or is it something else?
Personally, I love being with my church family on Christmas and Easter. Who better than my family and church family to be with on these days of all days? And what better day for the lights to be on in our local churches than Christmas?
Now, all that said, a Sunday Christmas can present some challenges, especially if your children are die hards for tradition! Ahh....you say, "But don't have little ones!" So true, my five children range in age from 9 to 20, but they haven't always been this old! There was a day when my home was filled with little men and a young girl and Christmas fell on Sunday sometimes then too! And add to it that we are the Pastor's family, we have to arrive early and are usually the last to leave. Yes, I understand! But I have some ideas to make a Sunday Christmas morning work.
Christmas Sunday Survival Tips.
1. Keep things simple. Forget Martha Stewart and Norman Rockwell images.
2. Start early. Don't wait till Christmas Eve to wrap presents. Wrap and stash early. The fewer you buy, the less there is to wrap!
3. Plan ahead. Even the week before Christmas set out Sunday clothes for the family. Keep on top of dressers ready for Sunday morning. Skip the fancy dresses and complicated hair-do's. Just clean and presentable.
4. Think about breakfast. Breakfast casseroles can be prepared two or three days before and kept ready in the fridge. Or a simple breakfast of sweet breads and boiled eggs works well and can be served to snack on while opening presents.
5. Get the kids on your team. Talk to them before the big day about what the schedule is going to be and any changes from last year that will be taking place. Will we be opening our presents before service and then emptying our stockings when we come home?
6. Enlist Santa. Share with your children the history of Saint Nicolas and his love of God. Would it not be honoring to him for our family to keep Sunday worship on Christmas?
7. Attitude is everything. Worship service isn't an interference to our holiday but one of the highlights!
8. Relax and enjoy the day! It's not often that we get to be with our church families on Christmas morning. Make it a special event.
Merry CHRISTmas!
Photo used under Creative Commons from PinkStock Photos!
