Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Togetherness

I love Christmastime. I wish that I could fully express the feelings associated with the holidays, but I simply cannot. The joy of togetherness, decorating the tree, reliving traditions, it really cannot be equaled. And honestly, I actually had fun shopping this year (although the traffic tonight made me a bit cynical). Now never having believed in Santa, I can imagine that when most children learn the truth about him, a bit of the Christmas magic is lost for them; the truth hits home and a little bit of their faith is imperceptibly squashed. The childhood wonder is stripped away revealing the "true" meaning of Christmas: Commercialism. (I'm not saying this is what everyone who believed in Santa thinks.) I guess growing up in a family that doesn't uphold the Santa tradition helps me love Christmas even more. Although we do go a bit overboard on the presents sometimes (and I'm not complaining), that's not what my family loves about Christmas, we simply love being together.

Togetherness takes love to another level, it points out that love isn't simply expressed, it is put into action. In our case, we put up the tree (it's fake :( when I have a family, we'll have a real one), decorate it, take earring pictures (we still have to do that this year),  drink festive drinks, and listen to Christmas carols. The fact that we have such a great time together indicates how much we really love each other. I think this love is simply a typification of Christ's love for us. Jesus coming to earth as a baby shows His love of togetherness. In Matthew 1:23 it reads: "'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' Which is translated, 'God with us'" The name that God gave His Son shows how much He loves being with us. He risked the fate of the universe to come down to earth, spend some time with humanity, and ultimately sacrifice Himself for Me. 

Why do I enjoy Christmastime so much? Because I can be together with those I love, and the One who loved me first. 

Merry Christmas.