for most of my life, i have wondered why, when company is coming to stay at our house, we spend lots of time getting ready for their arrival and then, when they actually do arrive, the joy is just beginning whereas with Christmas, we spend all of Advent getting ready for Christmas and then, when Christ - the Savior of the whole wide world - is finally born, it's over.
i remember asking my parents over and over - year in and year out - why dec. 25th isn't the start of the celebration - not the beginning of the end of it.
historically and Biblically speaking, it shouldn't be. historically and Biblically speaking, the 12 days of Christmas should just be getting cranked up - with an eye towards Epiphany - but instead, by dec. 26th (and sometimes even on the night of dec. 25th), you can see people's Christmas trees on the curb.
i happen to have first-hand knowledge that the swedes screw it up even worse than we americans do - december 24th is the pinnacle of Christmas for them. they even think of december 24th as Christmas Day. by the 25th, most swedes are asleep.
it's wrong. period.
and this year,
i'm not going to do it.
