We Are The Keepers of Christmas
It’s a wintry mix kind of day. The sky is obscured with an unending blanket of gray that will never brighten and yield to an increasingly earlier sunset only to be swallowed up by the long winter darkness.
It’s always windy this time of year, and that makes the dead cold of winter even more foreboding. The winter solstice has yet to come yet winter surrounds me. The once vibrant trees which were bursting with life just a few weeks ago, now stand brittle, dull, creaking skeletons swaying under the mournful gray of nature’s sky-canvas. That canvas will stay with us until spring decides to appear from the barren frozen ground.
Christmas is only days away now, and of course, some still refuse to call it Christmas — as if saying the word somehow entangles them in some religious denomination or organization.
Christmas is not “Happy Holidays”, it’s Christmas. If someone does not want to call it “Christmas” they should not be taking time off work, exchanging gifts, or celebrating… no one will force them to. But, of course, they will anyway. Christmas doesn’t exist to them, but they will be hypocrites and celebrate what they love to deny.
Many of those who shun Christmas will still be glowing in the revelry of Christmas, though. You’ll see them putting up Christmas trees, shopping for gifts, knocking back a drink or two… and celebrating the very holiday they deny.
I’m tired of politics. I’m tired of hypocrites. I’m tired of deniers and liars and “influencers”. I just want Christmas to be the way it should be – the way it always was. I’ll admit it was getting harder to find the spirit of Christmas — it is so often buried in cultural upheaval, ignorance, and politics.
Christmas has become an easy target for deniers and hypocrites who can’t stand to be part of anything they don’t understand — or don’t want to understand — and won’t take the time to understand. Some just don’t like seeing other people being happy.
This year, I will admit, I was having an extremely hard time finding the spirit of Christmas. I cannot deny it. I had a very difficult time convincing myself that Christmas would endure much past my generation. I couldn’t shake off the dust and dirt the world had piled upon it.
Then something happened.
I received a picture from my youngest son. It was a picture of my two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter holding her teddy bear out to her Christmas tree.
The innocence and sweetness touched me… and made me stop and think.
I realized then that Christmas does not come from outside ourselves, it comes from within; Christmas lives in our hearts. We keep it alive. We are the keepers of Christmas.
If I keep Christmas in my heart, and you keep Christmas in yours, Christmas will never die, no matter how much some try to kill it or deny it.
So, you and I, all of us, really are the keepers of Christmas. We keep the magic alive so that our children, our children’s children, and their children, will know the meaning and the magic of Christmas. They will know because Christmas lives on in our hearts. We all are the keepers of Christmas and because of us, future generations will know the magic and the spirit of Christmas.
Those of us who are the keepers of Christmas have an important job. The future of Christmas depends on us. No matter how much the world changes, no matter how crazy the world gets, or how much the deniers try to kill it… no matter what happens in this crazy world, Christmas will live on because of us. And as long as we keep Christmas alive, the true meaning of Christmas, the story of Christmas, and the magic of Christmas will live on forever.
Christmas will never die.
Christmas is not about what others do – it’s about what we do. Christmas is not about what others say, it’s about what we say. We are entrusted with keeping the Christmas spirit and magic of Christmas alive despite and in spite of the obtuse labyrinth of craziness that surrounds us.
No one can take away Christmas as long as we, the keepers of Christmas, persevere.
Christmas is not a date on the calendar, it’s a place in our hearts. And as long as Christmas lives in our hearts, Christmas will never die.
It’s up to us to keep the true meaning and spirit of Christmas alive. If we keep Christmas in our hearts and keep Christmas well – Christmas will live forever.
We are the keepers of Christmas.
We wish you and your family a very Blessed and Merry Christmas!
In New Zealand it is 84F (29C) and 70% humidity – PLEASE send a little dollop of nice cooling snow ☺
I wish you both a fantastic Christmas in return for all the wonderful assistance you have given to so many through the last year – and a Blessed New Year of joy that will last the full 365 days – even though these modern days are no more as long as the days were when WE grew up – must be the gummint interfering again !!
GOD BLESS YOU for this beautiful CHRISTMAS letter
Your best piece yet…and I havent hit the egg nog even.
Very sensitive and emotional writing…
Christmas is in us all….but ya got to believe!
Best to both of you and all your family beyond…
Richard
Yes we are the keepers of Christmas! I hadn’t thought of it like that until now. The spirit of Christmas is alive and well in our house and with my children and Grandchildren and will I’m sure be with our future generations. It is a time of love and joy to be shared with everyone.
I would like to wish you both and your families a very Merry Chrismas.
Glenys.
Well said.. and love this!!
I have to agree with Darcy, it is the true meaning of Christmas that makes it special and we need to keep that going in this manical world. Pull out those Bibles and read the real meaning of Christmas to the kiddos in your life and why we celebrate with the Christmas tree and all the decorations, gifts, and good food! It is a joyous celebration in the birth of Christ! Let it soak into your spirit and make it into your heart. God bless you TC and Darcy this Christmas and many more.. Merry Christmas!
That is such a beautiful essay and right on target. 🎯 Our weather in Dania Beach, Florida is considerably nicer than your weather. But Jesus Christ shiness through any weather. He is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas and God bless and keep you.
Its exciting to read your Christmas and us being the keepers!! We just had our Christmas with our Children ,our 9 Grand children ,and our 6 Great grand children. and it was like heaven having all of them around to celebrate! Merry Christmas to you and your family and have a Happy , Healthy, New Year!!
Merry Christmas!!! May the Lord bless you and yours!
Beautiful letter!!
Merry Christmas and May the Lord bless all that you do. Great post. Thank you for all what you do.
Next Event: Jesus is Coming!
Thank you for this beautiful reminder that each of us is responsible for keeping the wonderful feeling of Christmas alive. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Darcy and both of your families.
Incredible Essay ! You two are ‘my kind of people’. Thank you
for ALL YOU DO ! God bless you both, and your families, now and
forevermore. and Merry Christmas ! hugs,L.
Merry Christmas to you both and your families. Santa sent you a donation/Christmas gift. This is a wonderful essay love reading each one you do. Thank you again for all you do for us. Have a Healthy and Happy New Year too. You are the best! Marguerite (Margie)
Such a wonderful way of explaining what we must do for the future of our children and their children. It is hard in these times of not knowing what may come to our nation. So many want to destroy our world with so much hate. I can no longer watch the news it is too upsetting to me.
Sorry just a little ranting.
I want to wish Both of you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
God bless you for this letter. This letter helped the Lord open my heart to Christmas so that I may not feel alone.
May God our Father and. The Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your loved one always have the Christmas blessings throughout this season and through each year before you.
Merry Christmas