Getting into the Christmas Spirit

This last Friday at work, we had a dress-down day in order to encourage the Christmas spirit. Students and teachers were allowed to wear jeans (a sacred privilege) and "Christmas-themed" tops instead of the normal uniform shirts. While I will take any opportunity to wear jeans to work, one of my colleagues brought up an interesting point. He asked, What is the Christmas spirit? and how does wearing blue jeans celebrate it? Again, I was simply happy to have a day to wear jeans to work, but his questions have gotten me thinking. What is the Christmas spirit? What is it that we are celebrating? And can it be done by simply donning a pair of blue jeans?

As a Christian, my reflex response to questions of the Christmas holiday is that we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. But those reflex responses rarely satisfy fully. What does it all mean?

John 1 tells us that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory." The Word, God Himself, became flesh and blood. He became one of us. God became a man. (I think it takes repeating a few times to fully sink in.)

We all know why He came, for the manger is placed squarely in the shadow of the cross. You can't look at Christmas without knowing that Good Friday and Easter are just around the corner. But what baffles me is the 33 years that separated the two events. Jesus could have come for a day or two, just long enough to die in our place and be raised from the dead. He could have made it as quick and easy for himself as that. But instead, he chose to be born to a poor, working-class family. He grew up. He was a man who taught the masses and healed the sick. He was one of us. As Hebrews says, he endured all the temptations and trials that we face. He became one of us so that he could be our great high priest. God became a man so that He would know first hand what it's like to be one of us. He spent 33 years with us as one of us. That, I think, is worth celebrating.

But how do all the presents and trees and blue jeans fit into this? I'm not sure that is all that easy of a question to answer. And in writing this, I guess I can only answer for myself. I give gifts because I love the people who are special to me. It is my way of showing that love, and not just at Christmas. I love to give gifts. I guess I could spiritualize it and say that I give gifts because of the gifts God has given me. And that is true to a point. But I give because I want to see those around me happy.

So, through this rambling soul-searching, I guess I would say the Christmas spirit is a celebration of the gift of love given to us. I celebrate it by giving gifts and spending time with those I love. I love those moments of recentering myself at Christmas Eve service at church. I love waking up early and seeing the huge smiles on my kids' faces as they see what Santa - and mom and dad - brought them. I love playing games and playing with the new toys we each received. I love the smiles and the laughter. I love singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus before we have cake after Christmas dinner. I love it all.

And I love being able to wear blue jeans to work.