By Renee Scheidt

Why can’t Christmas just be Christmas?

The song says, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” At this point, I’m beginning to wonder. I’ve about had more than enough of this wonderful time. By the time Christmas finally arrives, I’m over-stressed and frazzled. Am I the only one? I can’t help but think that when I’m spending money I don’t have to buy presents for people I only see once a year. “Is this what Christmas is all about?”

Just how have we managed to turn this amazing display of God’s love into such a frenzied, hectic time? It didn’t start like this. No, the celebration of God becoming man (what theologians call “The Incarnation”) began quietly, in a little, no-name town in Israel. The only announcement of this good news didn’t come from the halls of power. Lowly shepherds were chosen as the first ones to be told of the newborn King’s birth. Can you imagine the shock as well as excitement Mary and Joseph must have felt when these stinky, base workers showed up at a smelly cave filled with animals where the God-man was born? What thoughts ran through their minds when the shepherds told of doing their ordinary jobs, taking care of business, when, out of the blue (literally) the silence was suddenly interrupted as angels lit up the heavens telling of “good tiding of great joy” to all people. What started as “just another day at the office” turned into a night hailed throughout all time as one of the greatest and most astonishing events of history. But somehow, through the years, the observance of God becoming flesh to pay sin’s penalty has turned into something completely different than originally proposed. In fact, it’s gotten so off track, Christ is a stranger to many. They don’t know what Christmas is really about. Everyone’s been told about Santa and Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, and the Grinch who stole Christmas. They’ve watched “Home Alone” and “Elf” too many times while eating yummy Christmas cookies. They’ve decorated the tree, put up a million lights, and even left milk and cookies for Santa when he comes sliding down the chimney with presents. But if they don’t know the real reason for the season. If we’ve neglected to keep the main thing the main thing, how can Christmas be Christmas? Without Jesus it simply can’t. That’s why it’s called Christmas!

Oh, we may change the name and have a “Winter Celebration.” We can say “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings” to those we pass as we shop till we drop. We can sing “Jingle Bells” and “Jingle Bell Rock” instead of the carols of yesteryear. We can give gifts until our credit cards are maxed out, and eat so much from attending too many parties that we gain five pounds. But it all adds up to “Much Ado About Nothing,” as Shakespeare said, just a big party the world has every December if Christ is not given center stage. Before long, the toys will be broken and thrown away. The trees we spent hours decorating will wind up on the trash heap. As we’re left trying to get back to some degree of normal, as many think, “Is that what Christmas is all about?”

In 1965, Charles Schultz wrote “A Charlie Brown Christmas” which won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program. Even back then, Schultz had to fight to get the real meaning of Christmas in the script. Schultz said, “If we’re going to do this, we should talk about what Christmas is all about and not just do a cartoon with no particular point of view.” He refused to budge. The movie ends with Linus reciting the Christmas Story from Luke 2:8-14. He then concludes by stating, “And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

It’s time to reevaluate the emphasis we place on the last four weeks of the year. Time to remember what Christmas is really all about instead of the cheap imitation it’s become. Only then will the world see that God loved us so much He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 

Then it truly is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Renee Scheidt lives in Salisbury.