Every fall, there’s a debate between the best of us about the proper time to start playing Christmas music (as well as the proper time to decorate, have Christmas-themed items on the store shelves, etc.) For those of you who can’t wait until after Thanksgiving to play Christmas music, today (the day after Thanksgiving) is the day you can play it without judgement from those of us who like to wait until after the Thanksgiving holiday is over! We may love you, but….
I hope all of you “early birds” reading this will know that I’m joking. We really do love you all, and we try not to judge you too harshly, but in explanation of why I like to wait until after Thanksgiving for “all things Christmas” can be summed up in one word… ANTICIPATION. Growing up in the late 60s and 70s there was great anticipation built in waiting for the day after Thanksgiving. That was the day that my mom took me to see Santa climb to the roof of the big department store in the city, and when we walked into the store, at least from a child’s perspective, the store had transformed into a sort of Christmas wonderland, with extravagant decorations and everything needed to make it festive and special. It was also the day (or at least the weekend) when we decorated our house, started seeing Christmas lights as we drove around at night, and it was also when we started listening to Christmas music. My point is, there was great anticipation of all of those things; anticipation that built as we progressed through the fall months. Somehow, I think we’ve lost that, as now Christmas seems to “dribble out” from September through December 25.
But the main point of this post is not about when to play Christmas music and nostalgic ideas about decorating and music. The main point is IT’S THE ADVENT SEASON! The season when Christians focus their attention on and anticipate the celebration of our Savior’s first coming, with an eye on the anticipation and expectation of His second coming. These words from a favorite hymn come to mind:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Whether you’re an “early bird” or an “after-Thanksgivinger,” we anticipate the celebration of His coming as a baby; The Savior, fully God and fully man, who came to earth to save His people. And we look forward with great anticipation to the day when He will come again to rescue His people living in exile on earth, waiting for the day when we will live with Him in His glorious Kingdom forever.
“And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” – Luke 1:30-33 ESV
