The Gift: A Christmas Celebration

Over 2000 years ago, we received a gift. It was salvation, it was peace and love and joy. It was Jesus Christ.

Sometimes it seems as if the Christmas holiday is all about greed, and buying, and having something better than the next person, and overwhelmingly commercial. Sometimes that makes me sad. That’s when I try to remember the first Christmas, that magical night when God gave us his greatest gift – His own Son. And I go looking for the story of that first night.

Luke reports on that first night in a portion of the Bible (American Standard). He reports:

^_ Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled.

^- This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

^- And all went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

^- And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

^- to enroll himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child.

^- And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered.

^- And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

^- And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

^- And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

^- And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people,

^- for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

^- And this [is] the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

^- And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

^- Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.

^- And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

^- And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.

^- And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

^- And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.

^- But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

- And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.

^- And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

There’s a lot more to the story, which most of you know, and depending upon which gospel you read. That first Christmas story is my favorite, because a gift, that child, was given, and the gift promised peace and love and joy. I like to think that the gifting season began on that first night, and summons me to give gifts to those I love. As I wrap each gift, I think of peace and joy and love, and hope it is included with each gift, as our Father did so long ago.

Merry Christmas to you all. May peace and love and joy be your gifts this Christmas.

Santa Visits Sallisaw

I saw Santa Claus! Yes! Really! I saw Santa Claus. I was driving east on Cherokee Street last week when Santa passed me going west. “Hey! Wait!” I yelled. Didn’t do a bit of good. He just kept on going. What was so startling about his drive past was he was driving a tiny little foreign car of some sort. It was white, and the car matched his beard perfectly. And the car was so small he nearly filled up the front window.  His beard was snow white, but I couldn’t see his belly so I don’t know if it shook like a bowl full of jelly.

What’s Santa doing in our small town? I wondered. Where’s Rudolph? Is the most famous reindeer of all suffering from a power outage? Is Santa lost because that bright nose has flickered out? And where were those other eight reindeer? You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen and Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen? Was Santa checking up on all the nice and naughty kids in Sallisaw? Which list was I on??? Oh good grief!

No, I am not hallucinating. I know this because I am not the only one who had a Santa sighting. I was present for the second sighting too. That’s when Delanna N., from here at KXMX 105.1, and I were driving somewhere, no doubt Christmas shopping. (I’m done, she’s not, HA!) Suddenly Delanna, who was behind the wheel, squealed, “There’s Santa Claus! Santa Claus is following us. He’s right behind us! I know it’s him!” I could relate, and explained my own sighting to Delanna. “I saw him last week. Was he in that little white foreign car?” Delanna didn’t know. But she reported, maybe a bit disappointed, “He had a gray beard.”

I countered, “Mine had a snow white beard.” Gray versus white beard? Made me wonder. But I have it on good authority, “His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples: how merry, his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.” Delanna was not to be deterred. “He’s right behind us! Maybe he’s checking us out. Maybe he’s checking to see if I’m naughty or nice. I’m nice. I hope he knows that. He’s following us because I’m nice. I know he knows I’m nice.”

But things change. “Oh no!” Delanna reported. “He’s turning the corner. He’s not following us anymore. I’m nice Santa. Really, I’m nice!” And so Delanna’s communication with Santa concluded. We hope Santa heard both of us declaring how nice we are. Really. And so I concluded, as was done so long ago, “And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.” Thank you Santa. And for those of you who think Delanna and I may still be children, well of course we are. And we will always believe that Santa will visit if we are, for sure, nice.(Editor’s Note: Thank you to Clement Clark Moore, and a few others who, I hope, will forgive me in this giving season for corrupting their Christmas poems. Mr. Moore’s was published in 1823, and remains the original description of Santa.

So, quoting the author one more time, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

It's Shop-til-You-Drop Time

Christmas shopping is now in full swing! And stores were packed to the gills from Thanksgiving evening on. Well, on Black Friday they were. Other nights, hummm? Driving back from Sunny Son’s house in Fort Smith on Thanksgiving evening, I was shocked when I checked out the parking lots in front of stores where I have never seen the parking lot full. These are stores I like to shop in all the time. But not that evening! Parking a quarter mile away from the store’s entrance, if you could find a parking spot a quarter mile away, is not my idea of healthy exercise. Do not want to walk or jog that far just to save a few bucks on a gift. I should have taken a photo for future reference. There was nowhere to park in one lot that I have never seen more than a third full in the past.

Central Mall? Cars parked clear out to the street! I couldn’t believe it! Walmart? Good gracious folks. Walmart was spreading the Black Friday sales out from Thanksgiving evening on through that Friday. Was there not a better way to gift shop? Well, I know one and I might tell, maybe. I could imagine what was going on in those stores, but I wasn’t going anywhere near them. I imagined moms and dads scrambling frantically for the one gift they need for the kid. And then moms and dads get into fights with other moms and dads who are not to be denied that same gift. I could imagine shoppers finally claiming their shopping prize, then having to use it to beat off other shoppers who wanted that same prize, and the result was the gift is ruined and no one gets it.

I may be wrong. Could be all those shoppers, even though shoulder to shoulder in the stores, were polite and more than willing to share. At least I hope it was that way. It’s how I would like it to be. But there’s still no way I am going to go shoulder-to-shoulder with other shoppers. So I ventured out alone on a dreary week night recently to do some shopping of my own. I confess. On Thanksgiving, found out my little family is expanding. “You’re pregnant?” was the question of the day. And all the answers were “Yes!” All I can say is EEK! I just thought I was done shopping.

But I have a secret shopping strategy, which I will share considering it’s the sharing season. I had coupons good for Black Friday, and (this is the good part) good for the following week. I like to shop on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening. And this year it was fabulous, so far. At my first store of choice, which was staying open to midnight (good grief!), the store clerks greatly outnumbered the customers, all two of us. Yep, two. Perhaps the other shoppers had enough of Christmas shopping on Friday. I kind of felt sorry for those clerks, all of whom were absolutely sure that I needed their help. Well they kept asking anyway, even though I declined the help repeatedly. One clerk even started shopping with me. She hadn’t had a chance shop for her young daughter. I offered a few suggestions. At the next store, it was the same. I got to park in the lot in the first space closest to the entrance. There was absolutely no one about. The only other customer I noticed was a co-worker who needed shoes. It was fabulous, not only because there were few fellow shoppers, but because those great prices advertised for Black Friday were still in effect. And I had coupons, and got deals too good to publish. That night might have been the greatest Christmas shopping night of all time.

I had to shop, there are a couple more great-grandbabies to add to my list. And, oh dear, I had to make a list. I’m losing track of great-grandbabies. But I announce that with pride, because, as one grandchild put it, “Well, it’s all your fault. You started it.” Yes, I confess. I started it, with a little help, and am very happy to Christmas shop for any and all grand- and great-grandchildren. Can hardly wait til I’m out there again, going undercover on dark and rainy week night, shopping til I drop for the greatest gift, a new grandchild. Yay!