Christmas is weird. There are so many different ways around the world people celebrate Christmas. Some people don't celebrate it, some people do. The place where my house is in India is mainly Hindu and therefore, no Christmas anywhere is seen or acknowledged. However, right now I am not at my house, I am in Nagaland, the place my Fiance is from and the place where he grew up. I am meeting his family and friends who grew up with him. I am hearing many stories of his childhood and laughing with his sisters. Here Christmas is a big deal. Everyone celebrates Christmas in Nagaland. They stay up until midnight on the 24th to wish everyone a Merry Christmas when the clock strikes 12:00. They sit around bonfires every night from a few days before Christmas, probably until New Years. They go to church an unnecessary amount of times (I think at least) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Christmas song they listen to the most, of all songs, is Feliz Navidad. How strange is that? They don't open presents, they don't play games, they don't have stockings, they eat pork and rice and chicken. It's not snowing and it's not even really that cold. It is everything my Christmases growing up were not.
I miss eggnog and I miss snow. I miss watching Christmas movies on TV. I miss playing the dice game and I miss opening presents on Christmas Eve in a big circle with my family. I miss seeing the nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. I miss eating Turkey and Taco Dip. Most of all I miss my family. A lot.
This leads me to remember what Christmas is all about. It's not about traditions and customs and whether or not there's snow (but seriously, without snow I cannot even fathom that Christmas has come and gone). It does not matter if there are presents or cakes galore or eggnog or pork with bamboo shoots. It doesn't matter if I am with my family or my Fiance's family. It doesn't matter if I'm in India or the US. These things are not what makes Christmas what it really is.
As cliche as it sounds, "Jesus is the reason for the season!" and that is pretty much the most true thing. It may have taken me a trip to the other side of the world, and my first Christmas away from home to realize it, but Christmas is not about where you are or what you do. It's about Jesus being born and then remembering why He was born in the first place. Why he became flesh and walked among us just to die and then live again. This is why we celebrate Christmas. Not because of Santa Clause, Kris Kringle, Rudolph, or Buddy the Elf. Because of Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. The Word became flesh and lived among us, as He still does in our hearts and in other people.
I miss eggnog and I miss snow. I miss watching Christmas movies on TV. I miss playing the dice game and I miss opening presents on Christmas Eve in a big circle with my family. I miss seeing the nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. I miss eating Turkey and Taco Dip. Most of all I miss my family. A lot.
This leads me to remember what Christmas is all about. It's not about traditions and customs and whether or not there's snow (but seriously, without snow I cannot even fathom that Christmas has come and gone). It does not matter if there are presents or cakes galore or eggnog or pork with bamboo shoots. It doesn't matter if I am with my family or my Fiance's family. It doesn't matter if I'm in India or the US. These things are not what makes Christmas what it really is.
As cliche as it sounds, "Jesus is the reason for the season!" and that is pretty much the most true thing. It may have taken me a trip to the other side of the world, and my first Christmas away from home to realize it, but Christmas is not about where you are or what you do. It's about Jesus being born and then remembering why He was born in the first place. Why he became flesh and walked among us just to die and then live again. This is why we celebrate Christmas. Not because of Santa Clause, Kris Kringle, Rudolph, or Buddy the Elf. Because of Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. The Word became flesh and lived among us, as He still does in our hearts and in other people.
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