Cleaning Up Christmas

I love to see a car drive by with a tree on top. I love decorating my tree and putting all the presents under it and then sitting by it! My tree is up and presents under it before Thanksgiving! I want to enjoy the holiday season. For me, that works. Some people love the last minute hustle and bustle. Because I have enjoyed the tree for a while, after the presents are gone, I am usually ready to clean up and get my house in order. After the tree comes down it feels like we have so much extra space!

People have different dates of when they take their decorations down. Some think you have to wait until New Years Eve and some think January 6. Other than getting my house in order, I do not like cleaning up Christmas! When we take our decorations down most of them tell a story or bring someone to mind. Some of those people are no longer with us. We are not cleaning up Christmas but cleaning up the symbols of Christmas. The Christ in Christmas stays with us. Jesus' birth did not happen to us but it happened "in us". We can continue Christmas all year long! Let's let Jesus shine from within all year! John 8: 12, "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'”

As we pack our lights away let's remember that "the Light of the World" is not packed away. Jesus is the true Light of the World. Jesus brings the light of the gospel to us and allows us to be freed from the darkness of sin and death. John 9: 5, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Let's be grateful for knowing the true Light of the World that is always with us! I choose to leave Nativity sets out year round to remind me of this! Carry on with Christmas!