#Merry Christmass #and #Happy #New #Years! “Have you lost your mind; #Christmas was last Monday; its just Happy New Years now?” No doubt this is what a lot of you are thinking right now, but no, I have not lost my mind (I think?) it really is still Christmas, at least for the Christian (for everyone). Have you not heard the song twelve days of Christmas? We are on the seventh day of Christmas, for the Christian, Christmas day is only the first day.
I am getting my inspiration for this post from the sermon of the guest priest who served my church today (thank you, Virgina). In it, she remarked about how “isn’t it great that we can still celebrate Chrismas going into the New Year? ” And I have to say #yes, it is indeed great that we can do so! Celebrating Christmas (besides for the Christian celebrating and remembering the birth of the savior of humanity and God becoming flesh and human) is about celebrating hope. What is life without hope; Hope for one’s future, the future of one’s family and community, hope for good times ahead, and the hope for an end to suffering? And of course the hope for a new and better year ahead.
I talked about this in my last post “A time to Cherish” about all the things we hope for and how because Christmas is a time where we feel more than ever that our hopes can and will be fulfilled someday it is indeed a time to cherish. Because of this and because of all the good feelings that just seem to be contagious during the Christmas time and the time leading right up to it; we a lot of times wish for Christmas to last all year. (I know I do.?)
It is then indeed great that Christmas does continue into the new year. It starts at the end of the old and goes into the new. Thus, as we end one long year with all that it brought us (good and bad) and look forward to and start a new promising year we are filled with hope for what is to come and that perhaps, in the end, things will be alright come-what-may.
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, Everyone! May we all have hope!
What are your thoughts and viewpoints on this subject? Please do share; they are indeed very much welcomed and wanted, no matter what they are!