We all have our visions of a perfect holiday, whether that holiday is a birthday, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. For me, Christmas is that perfect holiday. So many different parts of it bring me happiness and excitement. From decorating the Christmas tree, drinking eggnog, watching Christmas movies with my family to making Christmas cookies, everything that my family and I do contribute to each Christmas feeling complete.
Undoubtedly, out of all the things listed above, my absolute favorite part of these Christmas traditions is decorating our live Christmas tree. Whether we have to drive five miles to Home Depot (though I'd rather not) or fifty miles to a Christmas tree farm in the Smoky Mountains, we always bring home a live Christmas tree.
In my opinion (unless you're allergic) nothing can beat a live Christmas tree. It's a lot more work and mess than an artificial tree, but getting to water it, hanging up excess boughs around the house, and above all, the heavenly smell of fresh needles makes it perfect. Decorating for Christmas in my family's simple, cozy way (we're not a Hallmark family regarding decorations) is one of the best parts of the season, and the presence of a live evergreen is the pinnacle.
Each year, the Friday right after Thanksgiving, my family and I get in the car and drive to a Christmas tree farm to pick out the right tree for our holiday season. When we get home, as night is closing in and wrapping our mountaintop home in darkness, we have crackers and cheese, leftover cranberry orange bread from Thanksgiving, eggnog and wassail (cinnamon tea steeped in hot apple juice) while we decorate the sweet-spicy-smelling tree. And, of course, we listen to the "Bright Day Star," a Christmas Rennaissance CD that completely usures in Christmas. (Rennaissance is probably my favorite genre of music and mixed with Christmas? It's wonderful.) There's no way this day isn't my favorite out of the whole Christmas season.
Two years ago, this day didn't happen.
I say it didn't happen, but what I should say is that it didn't happen correctly. I can't quite recall why we didn't drive off into the Smokies to get a Christmas tree, but I do remember that it seemed to shatter the perfection of Christmas. Even though we did decorate an artificial tree that we had borrowed, and we probably had all the correct food and music, the Christmas holiday just didn't seem to sit right for me. It all started with cutting down our own Christmas tree, and we had skipped it. The entire holiday seemed strange.
As you're reading this, you're probably thinking What a kid; she didn't get things exactly the way she wanted, and so she sulked the whole season. Well, I didn't see it like that two years ago, but I do now. Though traditions are something that you come to expect, sometimes they just don't happen. Naturally, it's hard to let them go when they don't, but perspective can usually help you out with that. For example, though I didn't have the live Christmas tree, I had my family. Even though I didn't have the live Christmas tree, God had faithfully seen us through another year. Even though I didn't have the live Christmas tree, Christ had still come to save the world from sin.
It's so easy to focus on what you don't have when something doesn't go as expected. I struggle with that all the time. Being a very take-control person, as well as someone with a vivid imagination, it's easy for me to see perfection as something that can be attained. And if it's not...well, there's no point anymore. Besides how ludicrous that sounds (I know!) in the process of trying to attain a perfect holiday, many other things can be lost, like enjoying what's going on Now.
Looking back on that Christmas, I've realized two things. First of all, that perfection isn't even possible, regarding the world we live in. Since sin entered the world, nothing has been perfect, except Jesus Christ. And that's what Christmas is about anyway---Jesus' birth. Why was I trying to create perfection in something that would never be perfect, when the only perfection in the world was already being celebrated during the holiday? And secondly, tradition isn't something that will last, anyway. Things will change and circumstances and people won't last forever.
There are only two things that I guarantee I could do under any circumstance. Enjoy each day that God gave me (or each holiday season, in this case), and create new traditions as occasion calls. Both of these are things that will make each curveball infinitely more manageable, or even enjoyable. Of course, I could (and did) chose to ignore them somewhat, but I found out that it didn't make me happy. In fact, when I look back on 2022's Christmas, it seems rather dim. Who knows what kind of Christmas I would have had if I had thought of things in this light? Would I have created a new tradition for our family to make up for the absence of the live tree? Even better, would it have been something that my family and I would be doing right now? I'll never know.
But from now on, I'll try not to let my vision of perfection get in the way of enjoying each day and season that God gives me. Will you?
I love this Christmas post, Autumn! I've always wondered, too - what does eggnog taste like? I've never had it!
Interesting thoughts, Autumn. One thing I always looked forward to while growing up was listening to all two hours of Handel's Messiah from our full-sized stereo. For me, it just wasn't Christmas without hearing "For unto us a Child is born!" Since my mother died a week before Christmas eight years ago, I view the day very differently now and often have to spend it all alone. The Lord has helped me with this.
I'm glad you are excited about Rangers and Rays 2. It sounds great! Be blessed!
Aunt Carolyn
Haha, I don't know if this makes you feel better, but I'm pretty sure I would have been just as devastated as you were. xD I also get very invested in our Christmas traditions, and sometimes that can distract me from the actual importance of Christmas. For me, one of the big Christmas things that I feel is 'necessary' is going to Midnight Mass. The past few years we've had to go to a vigil or a morning Mass, and it did make me feel let down and like we weren't doing it 'right.' And while I think it's a normal and good thing to love our traditions, you're right, we can't let that ruin our experience of a holiday…