Now that Thanksgiving is over, my countdown to Christmas has begun. I have to admit that I noticed decorations, stocking stuffers and holiday suggestions for the best presents appearing as the Halloween candy was discounted by 50% or more. The artificial trees appeared a couple weeks later. And now, the section reserved for wrapping paper is stocked.
But none of those things are part of my Christmas traditions. I never developed a shopping gene. This three-part series will describe a few of my favorite traditions that make the birth of our Savior so special in the Crawford household. I will start with the classics. Christmas isn’t Christmas without the cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Carol, The Little Drummer Boy, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol and Amahl and the Night Visitors. And of course, no Christmas Eve is complete without at least one viewing of A Christmas Story.
In one of the first scenes in that film, Ralphie and his family head downtown for the annual Thanksgiving parade and Santa’s arrival. The film was made in Cleveland, Ohio and the Christmas displays in the store windows were a big part of my childhood. Many characters from the classics I listed above were part of the miniatures in those windows. Rudolph leading Santa’s sleigh, the three kings, the town of Whoville and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future were there to tell the Christmas story.
I loved those stories, and love them because each one, in its own way, recounts the joy of Christmas. For Santa, Rudolph and the folks of Christmastown, it was essential that they deliver gifts to all the good boys and girls. The Grinch’s moment of revelation: “maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Scrooge learns that giving is not a sign of weakness. And Amahl, a poor shepherd boy, offers Jesus his crutch, the only thing he owns. His selfless act is honored by the 3 kings who seek to visit the newborn Jesus.
Jesus is the reason for this very special season. We celebrate His birth as a time of hope and promises fulfilled. Whatever your traditions, may you find joy and happiness this Christmas. “God bless us, everyone.” (Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, 1843)