Taking Down the Christmas Lights

Last weekend Kim and I took down our Christmas tree and put away all of the Christmas decorations—the stockings, nativity sets, mistletoe, and all the other things that help us celebrate Christmas in our home. Then on Monday afternoon, I took down the lights that decorated the front of our house. It was the final part of the process of putting Christmas away until next year. To me, it felt kind of sad. 

From Thanksgiving on, the anticipation and excitement of Christmas swells. And part of the process that feeds into that anticipation and excitement is all the decorating that takes place. As we put up the Christmas tree, hang the stockings, and set up the lights in front of our house, I am personally looking forward to being with family, exchanging gifts, having our traditional meals…and especially now, being with our grandsons. Then it happens. And then it is suddenly all over. Before you know it, ready or not,  it’s time to take down the tree and put everything away until next year. Again, for me it all feels kind of sad.  

As a way of taking away a bit of the sting, I decided to play as loudly as I could my Christmas music playlist as I took down the Christmas lights. As I carefully pulled the lights off the bushes, wrapped up the extension cords, and took the wreath off of our front door I sang along to “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “O Holy Night,” and “The First Noel.” As I boxed everything up for another year in storage, I listened to the familiar voices of The Carpenters, Amy Grant, and Andrea Bocelli sing the songs of the season that celebrates our Savior’s birth. And as I did, I began to thank our Lord Jesus for coming into this world to bring us the gift of salvation. After all, I reminded myself, all of this—the tree, the stockings, the lights, etc.—was meant to help us celebrate his birth. 

Well, here we are a week or so later. The 2024 Christmas season has passed. All of the Christmas decorations are now in storage. The truth is, however, the birth of Jesus yet impacts our lives. After all, Jesus was only born in stable in Bethlehem, but he went on to live the most incredible of lives, die a terrible death, and then, on the third day, rose from the grave—all that he might save us from our sins. And that, after all, is why he came; that is why he was born. That is why we celebrate.  

As the angel said to Joseph,  “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 – NIV) 

Although Christmas may be over, let’s continue to thank our Lord Jesus for coming—for his birth—that we might have a Savior who would save us from our sins! 

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris