The Intrusion of Christmas

I find Christmas a little intrusive. Its onset is rather insidious but the music and the presents and the trees and the tacky decorations slowly but surely take over everything. We don’t have much say in the matter; if you are anywhere in the Western world at this time of year, it is inevitable. I mean, nobody asked me if I wanted to eat turkey and sing Jingle Bells and send cards every December.

I have the whole year to prepare, to mentally get ready for days of family and carols and mince pies. And yet I don’t. I forget about it all by mid January and only remember again when the first window displays go up in October. And then it feels intrusive because nobody asked me. Nobody checked with me to see if I was happy to celebrate Christmas again.

But Jesus intruded. He intruded 2,000 years ago and he intrudes today. I go about my daily life quite happily and then every so often something will happen that reminds me of the bigger picture. My self-centeredness is no longer acceptable. God intrudes on the ordinary and I remember. I remember God becoming human. I remember the desire for peace on earth. I remember eternity.

So maybe Christmas intruding once a year isn’t a bad thing.

[Liz Tissingh]