As the clock ticks down to Christmas Eve, it is all too easy to get caught up in the panicked race to create the perfect holiday.
Bombarded by imagery of idyllic homes and happy families, we sometimes lose ourselves in a pursuit that’s always going to be a little out of reach.
And while there’s nothing wrong with trying to make the holidays memorable for us and our loved ones, perfection is a mighty high pillar to climb.
Sure, there are those who smugly finished their shopping in November; whose packages and cards have long since been delivered.
But most of us mortals lack that organizational gene. We’re the ones still looking for that one last item – the one we thought we’d taken care of, but only now realize we hadn’t.
We’re there among the throngs, fear in our eyes as we scan the empty toy shelves for an item that mysteriously appeared on a new letter to Santa.
But Christmas isn’t about perfection.
Certainly the first Christmas was hardly ideal; the accommodations were a little rough and the timing could have been better.
Since then, there have been more than a few holiday disasters – holidays with the wrong presents bought, dinners over cooked, and decorations lost and left unhung.
And yet there were likely still smiles, still stories to tell and memories to keep.
Think back to your most memorable Christmas and it likely wasn’t the one where nothing went wrong. It was the one where everything felt right – a special moment, a shared laugh, a quiet hug.
Yes, Christmas can be chaotic. But it’s up to us to slow it down and remember its true message: kindness and compassion.
Have a happy Christmas.
~ Greg Knill, Chilliwack Progress
