When I was growing up Christmas was....well the waiting room for Hell. Everyone was so angry and disgusted with everything ABOUT Christmas that we mostly stayed in our rooms until time to open presents and we'd just stay long enough to get it over with.
Then I got married to the best wife in the world! We now start celebrating Christmas 4 Sundays before, with an Advent Services small meetings with a few brothers and sisters like a half an hour. We light a candle, sing a few songs, say a few prayers worshiping the Lord. Simple. It makes all the difference in the world.
I love that time of year!
tulc(who really IS married to the best wife in the whole world!)
__________________ I'm a firm believer in Arkham's Razor:
The simplest explanation tends to be Cthulhu.
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Grandpa passed away two years ago and I miss him very much around the
Christmas season.
I thought of him the other day, as I sat down to enjoy a cup of
coffee after decorating for Christmas around our house.
I recalled a Christmas Eve from a few years back when we were all at
Grandpa's house.
The family was all sitting around the huge dining room table,
talking, waiting to head out to the midnight service at church.
Then someone noticed one of the lights out on Grandpa's Christmas
tree.
My oldest son, Bubba, (who fancies himself as somewhat of a
specialist when it comes to Christmas lights), jumped up from the
table exclaiming, "Don't worry, Grandpa, I'll take care of that light
for you".
Grandpa quickly replied "No, leave it alone, the lights are fine just
the way they are".
"But, Grandpa, the tree doesn't look right with that light out, it's
probably just a bad bulb, I could easily replace it for you." Bubba
said.
Grandpa told Bubba that there was a reason behind that light being
out.
By this time Grandpa had the whole family curious . . .
Everyone wanted to know what Grandpa's reason was for that one light
bulb being out.
"But Grandpa, why would you leave one light out on the Christmas
tree?" Bubba asked.
"Think about it for a little while, if you don't have it figured out
by dinnertime tomorrow then I'll tell you." Grandpa said.
Having said that, Grandpa got up from the table and said, "It's time
to leave, I want to get to church early before all the seats are
taken."
Grandpa went to the other room, put on his hat and overcoat, and
yelled out "Let's go!"
We all went to church, sat through a lovely Christmas service and
then headed on back to our own homes.
The next day, everyone showed up at Grandpa's for Christmas dinner.
Grandpa's little puzzle had everyone talking, trying to figure out
what lesson Grandpa was trying to pass on this time.
Meanwhile, Grandpa sat back in his chair smiling as everyone tried to
figure out why that one light was out on Grandpa's Christmas tree.
Dinner was served and Bubba asked Grandpa about the light bulb once
again.
Grandpa said "Hasn't anyone figured out the significance of that
light being out on the tree yet?"
As he looked around the table all he was met with was blank stares
from everyone seated at the table.
Finally, Bubba said, "Grandpa, we have all tried desperately to
figure out it's significance, but none of us has been able to come up
with an answer, won't you please tell us?"
Grandpa said, " The brightly lit lights on the tree are a reminder to
us that Jesus was the Light of the World. He told us that we should
carry that light within us, and share that light with others."
"We understand all of that Grandpa, but that still doesn't explain to
us the significance of the one light bulb that isn't lit." replied
Bubba.
"Ah, the bulb that isn't lit, it is there to remind us of all those
who still walk in darkness, those who have not yet come to know the
light. It is a reminder to us that we are to share the light with
those who don't have it." Grandpa said.
Ever since that Christmas, Bubba has made it a point to make sure
there is one bulb on our tree that isn't lit.
Just a thought over coffee!
Durango
__________________ “God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you"? - William Arthur Ward
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I go to church for the 4:30 family service and the midnight mass at 11pm on Christmas eve and then I go to the 10:30am service on Christmas day. It is then ususally followed by going to grandparents house and chilling out there, eating food and playing with my cousin's new toys and what not. Then boxing day we go to my nans house and her house is an open house so everyone is there. Reminds me last year I helped my cousin feed the horses and muck out. Oh the memories.
Love Katie
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Our church usually has the Christmas service on the Sunday before Christmas, if it doesn't fall on a Sunday that year. Christmas Eve-Eve (stay with me here ) my family has a Christmas party for the mentally disabled people we work with, it's really a good time. Christmas Eve we go to a dinner theater here to see "A Christmas Carol". Christmas morning we all meet at my parents' house and eat brunch, then read the Christmas story and pray before we open presents. It's so cool, cause I used to read Luke 2 for the family, but since my niece started reading, I've turned it over to her. After that we do something outdoorsy, like go to a park, or if it's warm enough we swim (the pool's heated anyways!). Then nap time. Then we congregate again for dinner. After dinner my friends and I meet up at one of their houses and we exchange gifts and hang out.
My church, too, has Christmas Service the Sunday before Christmas, unless Christmas falls on a Sunday or Wednesday. We do have a Christmas Eve service however that is also the day my husband's family gets together. Someday I would like to go to that service.
Open presents with family on Christmas Eve, then attend a midnight Liturgy, and spend Christmas Day reflecting on the joys of the season with friends, family, food, and a fire in the fire place.
__________________ - + - + - ~ Roxie ~ - + - + - HEROS Don't Live By SAFE, THEY Live By FAITH
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"For I know the plans that I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29: 11)
At church it is neither at christmas eve nor christmas day so i vote family and friends...
I'll agree. Christmas isn't even in the Bible. It was a holiday invented by the Catholic church to give first century Christians to be a part of the celebration that the pagans were doing for the Winter Solstice, but from a religious point of view.
__________________ Mark 8: 21 "And he said unto them, Do ye not yet understand?" To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I do include recognition of the birth of my Messiah at the approximately the time He would have been born - in the fall around the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles.
We celebrate Sukkot as outlined in scripture (but without going to the Temple - wishing...) and do include recognition of Messiah's birth in our observances.
__________________
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing is worth a war, is worse.
"A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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Coffee and Christmas with Grandpa . . . 
) my family has a Christmas party for the mentally disabled people we work with, it's really a good time. Christmas Eve we go to a dinner theater here to see "A Christmas Carol". Christmas morning we all meet at my parents' house and eat brunch, then read the Christmas story and pray before we open presents. It's so cool, cause I used to read Luke 2 for the family, but since my niece started reading, I've turned it over to her. After that we do something outdoorsy, like go to a park, or if it's warm enough we swim (the pool's heated anyways!). Then nap time. Then we congregate again for dinner. After dinner my friends and I meet up at one of their houses and we exchange gifts and hang out. 
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