What a beautiful season, Christmas is. Time spent with family and friends, gift giving, yummy food to eat, singing songs and hanging lights and ornaments.
This is my favorite holiday of the year.
As I pulled out boxes among boxes of decorations.. wreaths, snowmen, santa's and angels.. thoughts of "Where to put the tree, where to put the stocking" ran through my mind.
And then, at the bottom of a box of ornaments, buried under the blinking lights and Christmas tapes I glimpse a bright piece of red felt. I pull it out and let it run through my fingers stroking the figures that have been glued to the front.
It is the tree skirt I made a few years ago. I remember the year I made it, I was searching for a skirt that would stick out among any other. One that showed us why we celebrate this holiday--and contrary to the beliefs of the children playing upstairs, it's not the gifts and the cookies.
Using cream colored felt, I cut out the shapes of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. I cut out shapes for a manger and for a cradle. And then, one by one, I painted their faces, Mary and Joseph looking down at the babe, and the babe sleeping contentedly. I painted the folds on their robes, and each strand of hay beneath them. Then I glued them on, placing them the way I imagine them to have stood there so long ago.
Our tree skirt does not say "Merry Christmas" on it. Now, that would be too ordinary nowadays, wouldn't it? No, ours says "Happy Birthday Jesus". It is to remind us, as we rush around, as we bake and wrap, what the true celebration of this joyous season is.
It's true that our tree skirt is original. No one on earth has one exactly like it. But, my prayer this Christmas is that everyone has the true meaning of the holiday. That's more important than an "original" skirt, and that is certainly available to everyone, young or old.
So as you go on your way, surfing, shopping, browsing, baking and visiting with friends and family. As you awake on Christmas morning.. before you tear into your gifts.. remember why we celebrate this day.
The reason is so much more important than the season.
