It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

I just wanted to share with you all what has been on my mind lately.  For my immediately family and close friends, it will be no surprise that I can't stop thinking about the holidays.

Whenever the temperature dips below 60 degrees I start craving soup and pumpkin and want to crawl under a blanket and think about Christmas.

I started celebrating Christmas Spirit day with my coworkers back in October and now things are in full swing.  I actually listened to Christmas music every day at work this week!  People ask me if I get burnt out on Christmas before the day actually arrives, and the answer is... yes.  Yes I do.  But you know what? I would get burnt out even if I didn't start celebrating until a week before.  So why not prolong the good feeling and tidings of comfort and joy?

Others get miffed because I celebrate before Halloween and Thanksgiving, overshadowing the holidays.  First of all, Halloween, Schmalloween.  I mean, I pass out candy and when I have kids they will probably trick or treat, but that's about it.  Honestly, its kind of a tacky holiday as far as I am concerned.

Thanksgiving is another story.  Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday!  I love being with family and friends in a warm house and thanking the Lord for the infinite ways in which He has  blessed me.  But I can do that and still be excited about Christmas!  Because at Christmas I still get to spend time with family and friends and be thankful!  Its a wonderful thing.  Why restrict thankfulness to one day?  Actually, maybe we should replace Christmas with a second Thanksgiving... but still listen to Christmas music.  Forget the gifts-- they just add stress.  I know that some people may find this idea of replacing Christmas sacrilegious.  Forget the birth of our Savior?

I know that we say Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, but for most Americans, that is something that we just do to make ourselves feel better about going all out and being materialistic.  If that's what it's really about, why do we even give gifts?  Because Jesus was God's gift to us, right? Yes, but we celebrate the glory of that gift at Easter.  If Jesus had just come and not died for our sins, would He still be a gift?  I don't know... food for thought.

I guess all of this is to say that I love the way the holidays make me feel.  They remind me to be grateful because God has blessed me in so many ways.  I need to remember to focus on that through all of the upcoming holidays.