Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our
house to yours.  (2017 dwm photo)

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  Isaiah 9:6

I'm fairly sure my first Christmas Eve program was in kindergarten.  The thing I remember most was learning to carry our chairs back to the classroom after the program.

Another time, maybe in 6th or 7th grade, our class memorized John 1: 1 - 14.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend[a] it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.[b]

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own,[c] and His own[d] did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

It is difficult to think we memorized and spoke it in unison in a gymnasium filled with 1,000 people.  But we did.  For a Sunday School Christmas program (this is a tale for grandchildren - my life was hard because I had to memory work for two Christmas programs every year), I had to memorize lines.  

My parents had me go to our third floor with the door closed and speak loud enough for them to hear and understand on the first floor.  Thinking about it now, maybe they just wanted me speaking loudly from further away.

Jesus - Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  He is the reason for the season.   He is more than the baby in the manger; He is our Savior.

Hear the bells on Christmas Day.   (2017 dwm photo)

Starting in third grade after the Christmas Eve program, we walked around the block to get back home.  We lit a fire in the fireplace.  Dad put records on the record player.  Mom made hot chocolate and we gathered around the tree.  We opened our gifts.

Often we would travel to central Illinois the next morning to celebrate Christmas with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

The last trip, during high school, my parents dropped me at a bus station the day after Christmas so I could go home and work my part-time job.  I'm pretty sure the next Christmas I was in college.  No more Christmas programs or large family Christmas dinners.

Instead Christmas traditions changed over the years.  One thing never changed, and He is the reason for the season.