Happy Birthday Jesus

How do you explain Christmas to a child? This is the first year that we've fully felt the weight of that responsibility - taking the traditions, the celebration, and even the greed and gluttony and making it all point to Christ.

We tell Holly that Christmas is all - entirely - about Jesus. She knows about Mary and Joseph, and she can sing all the words to "Away in a Manger." All this "intentionality" (for lack of a better word) forced me to take hard look at all our customs and traditions surrounding Christ's birth and ask, "Is this the BEST way to bring honor and glory to our King?"

So this Christmas season has been one big paradox. On one hand, I'm experiencing the joy of Christmas through the eyes of our 3 year old, which is pretty incredible. How can you not love hearing "Frosty the Snowman" for the 35th time [in a day] when your child is singing along (especially when her version goes "Frosty the Snowman, had a Happy Halloween")? Even the tackiest Christmas lights are a display of wonder. Blow up snowmen and Santas? I wish my whole street was full of them!

(so I don't have to have one in my yard)

But on the other hand, there's been an unusual tension in my soul this year. Heavy, I know. Maybe it's because so much of Christmas has become so selfish (this self included). Or because so little about our celebration has anything to do with Jesus. We were loving the season, celebrating much, but something was missing.

Until...

We made it to the 6 pm service at church on Sunday, driving there straight from Greenville with sleepy little ones. When we picked the girls up from Waumba Land, they handed us a red bag. It was a kit to have our own "Happy Birthday Jesus" party at home. Brilliant!

So on Wednesday, Holly and I baked a cake and put a few decorations around the house. We shook things up and had dinner - pizza and chicken nuggets - in the dining room. Matt read the Christmas story from Luke 2 (continuing the tradition, Mom and Dad!). And then we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Holly was very concerned that he wouldn't mind us eating his cake.

All of this led me to a new thought. How do you teach a child about Christmas WITHOUT the customs and traditions that for a moment seemed so trite and almost sacrilegious? The songs, the lights, the sweets (lots of sweets), and the gifts have completely captured Holly's awe, and she's curious about why we do it. All of a sudden she actually has an attention span.

I'm already looking forward to the next birthday party for Jesus, and celebrating with our 4 year old Holly and 2 year old Anna. What joy.

Merry Chrismas, joyeux noel.