Longstanding tradition in our home is a chocolate Advent calendar. Even our youngest grown daughter expects her annual ritual of counting the days until Christmas. This year, I found one with two young sisters looking up at a night sky filled with stars and Santa- this reminded me of Kayla and Kylie as youngsters. Today, I found five days of uneaten chocolate ready to be shared with my son-in-love and husband before he returned North to York, Pennsylvania. Oftentimes during Christmastide, I find myself with a handful of tradition and expectation, and falling short.
There are no perfect Christmases. There are no perfect families. And I am both disappointed and relieved to admit, I am not a perfect Mom. However, Christmas is not about perfection and a family filled with love is perfect no matter how imperfect. Now, I admit at this time of year, there is not always a whole lot of love being shared amongst relatives, when this aunt squabbles with that sister, or a long chewed bone just will not lie down to rest. Alas, deep down the ties that bind hold us in thankful reverie, despite our momentary misery.
The first Christmas was not perfect. A young woman gives birth to her babe in a manger amongst animals-surely, not the fuzzy, warm, sweet smelling perfection of a gilded Nativity. However, this birth bore true perfection. As Imogene Herdman exclaimed, "My God, they did not even have room for baby Jesus?!" The Best Chrismas Pageant Ever remains one of my yearly reads during Christmas season. It tells the story of a group of siblings, known as the hulligans about town, who bully their way into being the main characters in the annual Christmas Pageant. Imogene, who portrays Mary, smokes cigars in the Church Ladies' room during rehearsal break, and her siblings wreak similar havoc. Of course, as they learn the story of Jesus and His birth, every one else relearns the true meaning of Christmas. Thus, a perfect mess is transformed into a perfect blessing.
Isn't that just exactly how life is sometimes? Right in the middle of all the BIG stuff and racing around trying to be perfect and create perfect, we stop. We look around, we listen, we probably even laugh, as it is likely such a ridiculously perfect disaster, which finally enlightens us. No matter how we find Christmas, no matter if we must binge on it in one setting, like that handful of chocolate...no matter if we are with family, friends or on our own, it happens. It was not bought. It was not baked. It was not perfect in any shape or form, but it is Christmas. You are loved. God is with you. Merry Christmas!