I found Christmas this week.
I know, you’re probably thinking, ‘How can you miss it?? Christmas Day is almost here, shoppers are out en masse, decorations are everywhere.
For weeks now, I have pondered and purchased gifts. We had our first Christmas celebration more than a week ago with family, we decorated our tree a few days after Thanksgiving. These were happy times, with the exception of trying to get the lights on the tree, in which a few curse words may have been uttered.
But the Christmas season comes with a lot of chaos, and noise, and general frenzy as the clock counts down toward the big day. It can be difficult to find the meaning, to hear the message, and you may not know exactly what it is your heart is seeking until you experience it in a moment that may be in the most unlikely of places.
For me, I found the first glimmer of Christmas as my daughter and nieces and nephew gathered around their grandparents and my mother-in-law gave each child a card and explained she had made donations in each of their names to World Vision and the donations would be used for families in Africa– to purchase livestock, medicine, bedding nets to prevent malaria and enabling wells to be dug for fresh water.
My next moments, however, came not when I was surrounded by family, but by strangers in packed stores, where you commonly find harried, anxious, desperate-looking people. In Kohl’s, as I hunted through racks for pajamas, I heard a child’s voice that was obviously coming from an electronic device. I looked up and saw an elderly couple in the aisleway, leaning together over a cell phone that they had on speaker.
They were so focused, and they were smiling as a little girl’s voice piped up, ‘I love you!? They said their goodbyes and I found myself standing there, pajamas forgotten, ready to cry over these people I didn’t even know. Our eyes met
‘Was that your grandchild?? I asked.
‘Oh, you heard us? Yes,? beamed the grandmother. ‘They live in New York. We miss them.?
‘Well, that was so sweet. You made my day. I hope you see them soon.?
From Kohl’s, I hurried on to the grocery store and in the check-out lane connected with the woman in front of me when I saw she was buying Slim Jims and Reese’s Christmas tree candy.
‘You’re stuffing stockings,? I smiled
She laughed. ‘Yes! How did you know??
I held up my own purchases, including Slim Jims. ‘I always had beef sticks in my stocking growing up and I have continued the tradition with my own family. I always put oranges in, too. It used to be tangerines when I was a kid, but my family prefers oranges.?
‘Yes! It’s the first thing to go in the sock!?
My shopping was done, but my trip down memory lane continued the next day as I finished decorating the house and shared a moment with my family. As we put up the Nativity my husband bought me as a gift years ago, my daughter asked the names of the three wise men and what frankincense and myrrh are. My husband researched on the internet to give the proper answers and my daughter said she really likes the Nativity.
I began talking about the Nativity that I loved from my own childhood. Several years ago, my mom gave me the Nativity, which she had inherited from my great-grandmother, but I had never put it up, as I had a beautiful Nativity and the old one was broken and I had no place to put it. There literally was no room at the inn.
Still, the more I talked about it, the more I wanted to see it again. I ventured into the attic and in the dark, found the bag that held the treasure and brought it downstairs into the light. As I took out each piece, I felt like a child again, opening very special gifts. There was Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus!
Katie asked me if Joseph still had a nose. I told her not to judge. Jesus may also have an uneven complexion, darn paint.
There was the donkey, and shepherds, and cattle and sheep. The three wise men, with one’s head detached from his body. And finally, there were the four beloved camels that I played with, with the two standing ones all on broken legs, but still intact with wires inside.
The Nativity is more than 50-years-old, but as I looked at it, even with all its flaws, it seemed perfect to me. It sits on my kitchen table for now. I will make room at the inn.
The music box no longer plays, but when plugged in, the light still illuminates the holy family.
This season, I hope you all can find Christmas. Turn down the noise, and listen to your heart. Christmas is here. Love and light to you and yours.