The Adventures of Christmas Esimerkki

December 4th

Christmas is supposed to be a time of great joy and peace and yet it’s one of the most stressful times of the year for many people.

It’s a reminder of the family member that is no longer around the tree. It’s a reminder of just how financially strapped a person really is. It’s a reminder that the kids have grown up and the house feels empty.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” has become the most painful time of the year for some.

Growing up, the thing my dad loved most about Christmas was putting up the Christmas lights outside our home. I’m surprised an airplane never mistook our house for a runway. He would spend hours untangling the lights, figuring out which bulbs were out and hanging them just so. Not long after my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he started losing his eyesight and could no longer hang the lights. The one thing he really wanted to do was visit Christmas Lane, a neighborhood in our area where every house is decorated to the hilt. Santa’s village would be proud. We took a trip up there, my dad’s face pressed against the glass, straining to see out the car window; sadly he became ill and the excursion was cut short. That was his last Christmas. I can’t look at Christmas lights and not think about that experience - my dad, no longer able to enjoy the one thing he loved most about Christmas. I know I’m not the only one carrying a story like that.

This year, you will exchange gifts with people who are hurting. You will sing next to people who would rather skip this season. You will say, “Merry Christmas!” to people that feel more bah humbug than merry.

I’m confident they’re not trying to be a Grinch, a Scrooge, or a Jack Frost. They have been wounded by the world and they need your patience, empathy, hug, love and maybe a gift card to Starbucks. 

Who is someone you could reach out to this holiday season and show a little extra love?