We talk a lot about the true reason for the season this time of year, so as to set our sights above the lights, the gifts, and the constant stream of parties.
Depending on who you are chatting with the true reason for the holidays could be celebrating the birth of Christ, the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, or possibly the African diaspora or Chinese New Year. There are several religious celebrations this time of year held around the globe and with that comes the gathering of family, friends, and loved ones to celebrate these traditions.
I was thinking of this the other day as my daughter was in the backseat of our car singing “Jingle Bells” with a rendition that said “Jesus came into my heart and he washed my sins away” as I sang the regular version of “Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.”
I was a bit derailed. What could I say to her?
I didn’t exactly want to reprimand my child for singing a religious version of a Christmas song. It wasn’t the Methodist church preschool’s fault that I had enrolled her in – knowing full well that she was being taught Bible teachings and principles on a daily basis in the curriculum.
But this went completely against MY reason for the season.
You see, I grew up NOT celebrating the holidays. I never felt deprived, but it just wasn’t acknowledged in our household. The birth of Christ was known as just another day – and definitely not Dec. 25. As a young child I never participated in Secret Santas, holiday parties, or anything else related to the holiday. I liked being off school, but that was about it.
Fast forward to me being a 30-year-old woman who decided that she wanted to start celebrating the holidays. I loved the lights, the gifts, and all the joy of season. I was all about the material traditions – the holiday parties, the exchanging of small gifts, the decadent food and cocktails; it was all so much fun!
I met a boy who I fell in love with and it was the first time I celebrated the holidays with someone who felt the same way I did. I even bought us an ornament with two adorable snowmen to represent our first Christmas together.
I told him that I didn’t want to go to church. I didn’t want to sing religious songs. I didn’t want any part of the religious reasons for the holiday. I wanted all the commercial aspects of Christmas – snowmen, snowflakes, reindeer, twinkle lights, and sprigs of holly with cranberries. He was on board.
And the next Christmas we spent together we had a 2-week-old baby girl with us. And suddenly it felt even more important to create holiday traditions the way my husband and I wanted to for our family. She was truly the best gift I had ever received and for that, I was willing to celebrate even more.
Flash forward to five years later and my daughter singing in the backseat gesturing a windshield wiper as she sang about Jesus wiping sins away. I took a deep breath. I realized that my reason for the season may not be HER reason for the season … and that’s OK.
Many of us will have a difference of opinion this holiday season about the way we celebrate, what we celebrate, and the traditions (or lack thereof) that are most important … and that’s OK too. What I’ve learned, especially through my daughter, is to smile, acknowledge, love regardless, and move on.
Happy Holidays, my friends … however you choose to celebrate. 🙂