So, was it all you expected? Did the reindeer fly the big guy in with the right present? Did you eat before, during and after the Queen (insert culturally appropriate highlight of Christmas Day)? Were you overly familiar with the sherry and port? I'm not going to ask about the family ... this isn't Jerry Springer.
I actually think that Christmas gets a bit of a raw deal. It must be really annoying to have all these people waiting for you to come, longing for you to hurry up ... then in a measly 24 hours you're over. A 'has been' for another year. Valentines gifts are already in the shops and it'll not be long till Lent - Ash Wednesday is on 22nd February, Easter is early this year you know.
We make all this fuss about Christmas and let be all over in a day, totally forgetting about the 12 days of Christmas, 26th December - 6th January. As one who enjoys merry-making - I think we should all embrace the full experience of Christmas - in as far as our employment allow us!!
Now the famous song (the tune of which has undoubtedly is floating around in your head since the start of the last paragraph) was first published in London in 1780, in a book called "Mirth without Mischief". It is a tall tale of increasingly extravagant presents from one's true love. I wonder what it would be like to see the 12 days of Christmas as a chance to consider, in ever-increasing magnitude, the extravagance of God's love for us as revealed in Emmanuel.
Perhaps it could sound something like this...
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a Saviour who is Christ the King
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, mercy and grace
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, forgiveness for sin
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, hope not despair
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a golden royal crown
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, joyfulness and gladness
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a friend in my messes
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a wounded willing healer
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, royal family status
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, lots of brothers and sisters
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, heaven's storehouse for provision
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, life in its fullness
So, let's not rush through Christmas ... rather let us ponder like Mary, marvel like the Shepherds, adore like the Wise Men and worship like the Heavenly Host; he who is the Word made flesh.
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