Most Wonderful Time of the Year
This time of year is magical to us. The years keep adding up but Christmas still stirs up child-like joy and happiness like when we were five years old. Everything from the lights and decorations, to the music played on the radio and the Christmas shows that only seem right to watch during this time of year.
We believe in the Reason for the Season
I can remember as a little boy getting excited about Christmas. As the days came closer to December 25th, the town I grew up in began to shift into the Holiday trappings of decorations and festivities. Every street corner was decorated with giant wreaths and candy canes brightening the night sky with lights. The trees in the downtown park were decorated with ornaments and lights, making it feel like we were strolling through Santa’s land.
I also remember scouring through the T.V. Guide or the daily television show listings in the newspaper to find out when shows like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and Charlie Brown Christmas were going to be shown. Back in those days, we didn’t have VHS tapes or DVDs, so you had one shot when the networks aired those shows. As a kid, if you missed Rudolf, your whole Christmas season was practically ruined! One of my favorite things to do after the tree was decorated was lay under the bottom branches and look up through the tree. I loved watching the colored lights blink and seeing the different colored shadows they made on the walls and ceilings.
Then there were the Christmas parades. Float after float would come down the center of town with all sorts of displays and decorations, often with the added bonus of Christmas candy being tossed to either side of the street. Catching candy during a parade was like catching a home run baseball knocked out of the park at a game.
Our family was also a family of faith. I learned early the real reason for Christmas. As a kid, the birth of Jesus, though important, was backstage to the excitement of Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas morning. But as I grew older, and especially now, my heart is filled with more joy when I truly consider the gift God gave us through His Son Jesus Christ. The kind of magic that comes from experiencing this kind of love has now become front and center stage for me. There are times when the holidays can bring stress and over-busyness. Yet during this time of year, and all throughout the year, the peace that I have in God’s love, for all of us, has become a stronger, more sustaining force with each year that goes by.
Now, don’t get me wrong, that little boy that still lives inside of me is just as in love with the other magical part of Christmas. I have to admit; I do not fit so well under the bottom branches of the Christmas tree anymore. But I still love it. In the early mornings and sometimes in the evenings, I will sit in the living room and look at it. Many of the ornaments on our tree have special meaning to our family with memories attached, and I look at them in the glow of the Christmas lights and reflect.
We truly hope that this time of year is a happy and joyous time of reflection for you as well. No matter how you experience Christmas and what it means to you, there is no denying the fact that this is truly a magical time of year. We here at Alaska Web Studio hope and pray the Peace of the season rests on you and in you. No matter, if you are one of our clients or simply someone who came across our holiday post, we would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a peaceful close to 2022.
God bless,
Ken
