It feels strange that it’s already time to take the Christmas decorations down. I don’t know how early you put yours up or long you wait to take them down, but we typically leave ours up till around New Years Day or little after. We’re taking a little bit longer than normal this year to try to go through all that we have and get rid of the decorations that we don’t use anymore.
But every year, the process of taking down the decorations is a little sad, and I feel like almost everyone can relate to that. I don’t know that I could pinpoint one reason that it’s sad. I think it’s probably a combination of several things. There’s the sentimental nature of the decorations themselves. That could be the length of time that you’ve been putting them out, the person who gave it to you, or maybe it’s something the kids made. Christmas decorations also have a natural beauty to them: the greenery, the lights, the colors. Or maybe the decorations are symbolic of time togetherness, generosity, comfort, warmth, and tradition.
So maybe the decorations represent a feeling. Something that combines all of those things into something that’s difficult to describe, but it is obvious when it is missing, and we don’t want it to go away. But if we’re honest, we know that it’s not the decorations themselves because we put them away every year. We know that leaving them out all year would not fill the void that we feel when we pack it all up.
It's much deeper than that. The Christmas season provides a respite from the daily grind. It helps force people to think outside themselves. We are more intentional with each other. We tend to be more generous. A moment in time when all people share the same anticipation of something to come. A joint celebration.
But does that only describe Christmas? I believe it describes how things were intended to be all the time. And our sadness in packing up Christmas is simply a subconscious realization that things are broken. A desire for things to be made right. A longing for the perfection of all things.
Christmas is the beginning of God’s work to redeem our sadness. Christ’s first coming set in motion the plan to make us whole again. And Christ’s second coming will complete that plan. So as the Christmas season ends, we embrace the sadness as it reminds us that things are not as they should be, but we know that it will not be this way forever. We live in hope, knowing that he will make all things right. That’s a feeling that will last forever.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
-Romans 15:13
-Kendall
But every year, the process of taking down the decorations is a little sad, and I feel like almost everyone can relate to that. I don’t know that I could pinpoint one reason that it’s sad. I think it’s probably a combination of several things. There’s the sentimental nature of the decorations themselves. That could be the length of time that you’ve been putting them out, the person who gave it to you, or maybe it’s something the kids made. Christmas decorations also have a natural beauty to them: the greenery, the lights, the colors. Or maybe the decorations are symbolic of time togetherness, generosity, comfort, warmth, and tradition.
So maybe the decorations represent a feeling. Something that combines all of those things into something that’s difficult to describe, but it is obvious when it is missing, and we don’t want it to go away. But if we’re honest, we know that it’s not the decorations themselves because we put them away every year. We know that leaving them out all year would not fill the void that we feel when we pack it all up.
It's much deeper than that. The Christmas season provides a respite from the daily grind. It helps force people to think outside themselves. We are more intentional with each other. We tend to be more generous. A moment in time when all people share the same anticipation of something to come. A joint celebration.
But does that only describe Christmas? I believe it describes how things were intended to be all the time. And our sadness in packing up Christmas is simply a subconscious realization that things are broken. A desire for things to be made right. A longing for the perfection of all things.
Christmas is the beginning of God’s work to redeem our sadness. Christ’s first coming set in motion the plan to make us whole again. And Christ’s second coming will complete that plan. So as the Christmas season ends, we embrace the sadness as it reminds us that things are not as they should be, but we know that it will not be this way forever. We live in hope, knowing that he will make all things right. That’s a feeling that will last forever.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
-Romans 15:13
-Kendall
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