Some time ago, many of us were told via song to not shout, cry, or pout.
We were given this advice with the promise that a rotund gentleman was about to go chimney hopping and bring us a new bike, BB gun, doll house, remote control car, or battery-operated talking “Illiop”.
Whatever your emotional outburst of choice is, Christmas is indeed coming to town.
Anecdotally, many people are feeling unready and unprepared for it, like the Holy Day and holiday are sneaking up on us.
Why is this?
Maybe it’s because the last remnants of autumn are hanging on for a while.
Maybe it’s because we live in a world so busy busy busy that a lot of things just sneak up on us.
Maybe it’s because retailers were bringing out the Christmas wares before Halloween had come and gone and we’ve just blocked anything red, shiny, and festive from our fields of vision.
Maybe it’s even because Advent is short this year, with its fourth week lasting only a day.
Pick whichever explanation you like, but Christmas will be here before you know it and whether you like it or not.
You’d best get those items crossed off your Christmas lists. Nothing says “Christ is born” more than stressing and scrambling to keep all of your friends and family members content with the perfect assemblage of presents.
Who threw out these Advent days?
By the time you read this, parishes will be getting the rose candles ready to be lit.
Already halfway done? Yup.
Did you forget to open your Advent reflection booklet and pray every day? I blame the gap between Thanksgiving and the Church new year.
Perhaps you can’t do the read-a-chapter-from-Luke-a-day plan up to Christmas, but you can still read Biblical Christmas stories. There are a few in there.
You can pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. There is no specific timing held to those.
Do you feel funny starting to light the Advent wreath late in the season? Don’t. You won’t have the awkwardness of the week one candle getting short more quickly than the others.
There are still a lot of things you can do to hop on the Advent Express midway through.
As for all of the other things, breathe. Just breathe. Christmas meal planning will take care of itself. You’ve been doing it for a while.
What about the decorating? Congrats, you’re doing it a little better, getting the tree and lights up closer to Christmas than Thanksgiving.
What about the presents? Someone very close to me likes to (jokingly!) say that you should get into an argument with loved ones right before Christmas so you don’t have to get them anything.
I don’t recommend that extreme, but I’d recommend getting them something really thoughtful and special (and simple so you don’t get stressed out), or gift cards. Always gift cards.
There we go. You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re right on time. Everything is fine.
Gaze upon the rose candle with joy and peace.
Also ponder which is better, starting strong early and burning out, or getting started late and finishing strong.
Make the most of it
Regardless of what day and how you celebrate, Christmas Eve is 24 hours and Christmas Day is 24 hours.
No amount of rush, build-up, or planning changes that.
No matter how fast it comes or how ready you are, you can still celebrate Christmas on Christmas.
And lest you forget, there are 12 days of Christmas! You have time to celebrate the Nativity.
I know radio stations stop playing Christmas music by Christmas Day evening, but there are plenty of streaming music resources out there to create your own holiday tune experience.
How gutsy (and potentially more affordable) would it be to Christmas shop on December 26 and give gifts up to the Epiphany? You could truly make it a Christmas “season,” if time and travel so allow.
I alluded to it before, but the greatest gift you can give to yourself this Christmas is oxygen.
Just breathe and celebrate the birth of Christ.
Be thankful you don’t have to spend the holiday in a stable (although that could be a holy experience).
Sing “Hosanna” and give glory to God. Christ was born so that we may live. Make the most of Christmas when it is Christmas.
If none of this works, Lent will be here on February 14 . . .
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.