Sleigh Bells Ring, Are You Listening...

By Mr. Chuck Deitch, Administrative Director of School Programs

I haven’t heard any actual sleigh bells yet, but all around me the signs are clear that the Christmas holiday season is upon us.  Trees are up, houses are strewn with decorative lights, and Santa is hanging out at the local shopping mall.  And while it may look different elsewhere, folks in over 160 countries around the world are engaging in whatever their local Christmas holiday traditions are. 

For us Christians, this is the time we celebrate God sending His son Jesus, who would live a perfect life and then lay down that life as a ransom for ours, making a way for us to be in right standing with the God from whom our sins had separated us.  Given the enormity of this great gift from God, this tends to be quite a time of celebrating for believers, but this is also the time of year that even non-believers emphasize some of the same characteristics we Christians strive for.  Yes, despite the greed and gluttony that tends to represent the season (at least in the part of the world where I live), one can also see increases in joy, peace, compassion, community and rest.  With so many people focusing on such things, it is not uncommon for people to share the sentiment expressed in one of my favorite holiday songs, “Why Can’t It Be Christmastime All Year?” 

But for many of us, the Christmas season can also be a dark and tough time.  For some this Christmas will be the first they spend without a loved one who passed away this year.  Or it might be the anniversary date of a similar loss or other tragedy.  It may be a difficult time as some are forced to gather with family members or others who have hurt them in the past or, if they don’t have people to gather with, it may just sharpen pains of loneliness and isolation.  For some with certain mental health struggles like depression, the heightened glee of everyone else around them can just deepen their own sadness. 

This is why it is so important that Christmas represents more than just reindeer, elves, and talking snowmen. Those imaginary entities have no real hope to offer, and Christ was not born as a human so that we could drink eggnog and swap presents.  Yes, I will likely be doing both of those things this season, but more than that I will be focusing on, and rejoicing in, the hope that remembering Christ’s birth brings.  And that hope is not just for those “in the holiday spirit”, but it is a light that shines into the darkest corners of our often troubled and difficult world.  As my absolute favorite Christmas hymn states, “The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.” 

So regardless of what your specific holiday traditions are, I hope that you are able to enjoy them to the fullest this Christmas season, but I also hope that you will be aware of those in your sphere who are not feeling the Christmas cheer for one reason or another and look for ways to comfort them during this difficult time.  You never know - maybe a listening ear, a shed tear or a moment spent in understanding silence will be the best present you will give this year.  Merry Christmas, Everyone!

📣A Word From Admin, 🗓️SeasonalEIC NSA2022-2023, December 2022 Publication