Appreciating Christmas

What a astonishing Christmas it was this year. My oldest son requested me what about this Christmas did I enjoy and I responded, “Just having you here”. It is true, seeing my family around me was the major joy of my life. I missed one son who couldn’t make it, but to have the majority of my family with me brought me supreme joy. After they all left my wife and I cuddled for some moments with a cup of hot chocolate and our thoughts to just appreciate the moment of happiness we both felt. It is about recognition I must write about, seeing it is absolutely after Christmas. William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher once told, “The deepest craving in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” I knew it was true of me obviously for I know my soul so markedly well, but to imagines it is in addition true for others is a bit of an eye-opener for me. To think that all of us, each and every human being on earth craves being appreciated more than whatever else, even heavenly beings! Wow!

It generates so much sense even though as I follow this point, that recognition is so crucial to everyone. It generates the wonder and magic of Christmas come lively with explanation. It is the essence of all superb writings having to do with Christmas such as “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. in addition “The Greatest Gift” written by Philip Van Doren Stern which became one of the most endearing and enduring Christmas stories ever put to film by Hollywood, in “It’s a astonishing Life”. These stories are all about recognition. I will leave out the most impressive Christmas story of all and the real meaning of Christmas for very few minutes longer as I begin again to show you of my recognition.

I am struck with a spirit of love and recognition that is so powerful during Christmas. If I had the cash I would shower everyone with gifts. In our family we have an excellent gift-giving-arrangement which takes all the waste out of Christmas, we tell one another what we need and we get what we need at Christmas. No one is too extreme in their requests as we go after the unwritten rule that we would not inquire of others what we ourselves couldn’t give. Everyone is glad. We all get the “presents-thing” out of the way and we go on to take pleasure from our relationships and have fun. This year my youngest son dazzled us with a mind teaser game that produced everyone think and laugh.

Of course Christmas is not constantly fun. There are the moments of emotionalism that are tied to past hurts, anger and guilt, and marred relationships that we must deal with; anyhow these often turn into opportunities for healing. a couple of us have no families and we invest Christmas alone or with other families and that generates for lonesome times and unhappiness. I feel sorry for those who are alone, and my wife and I try to make room for such ones to take pleasure from with us the holidays if probable.

Overall I am happy for Christmas even though I have been known to be somewhat of a scrooge myself in dragging my feet in placing decorations up and entering into the spirit; but on balance I am constantly happy that Christmas has come with all of it’s emotions bad and good. I didn’t get to invest Christmas with everyone I may want to this year, but I did invest it well with those I was with. even though my wife had to put up the tree herself this year, I eventually showed up for the festivity. It is because in the course of Christmas I eventually find the power of recognition. I am reminded of the things I am grateful for; little and large – and that is what Christmas should be about.

The real Christmas festivity is about appreciating the birth of one that came to be our savior. And if truth be told it is not the birth alone we celebrate. The birth was crucial for if it had not happen we as a race of people would be doomed to death. that is the reason why we celebrate in conjunction with the angels and praise his name and sing our glory Alleluias as the angels did that markedly first Christmas night; anyhow, he was born, lived, and more importantly died in order to we would not have to hold on in our graves but would be raised up as he was to live life eternally if we select to. This is what we should truly be appreciating and celebrating with our families. Life! Not life as we are aware of it in this corrupt dying world, but life eternal in an incorrupt world. This is the most impressive gift of all! The gift of eternal life is what we should appreciate. The birth of that Hebrew baby in Bethlehem was the birth of our hope and the commencing of our salvation.

Santa Claus, Rudolf the Red-nose-Reindeer, the ghost of Jacob Marley and Scrooge are all just make believe characters that help entertain us as well as help the grand marketers to take advantage of the pros of our giving spirits in the course of the holidays. If we’re not careful, they can eat the entire holiday and block out the true meaning of Christmas such as a magic trick right before our markedly eyes. Don’t permit that happen. Keep the holidays, but keep them as they aught to be kept by remembering the Christ child’s birth and what it signifies to mankind. Our recognition of this fact should illuminate us and make us need to give to the poor and needy, just as Scrooge eventually did with his recourses.

As I ponder through what William James told, that the deepest craving in human nature is to be appreciated; I can only wonder if this applies to the Christ who was born human himself. really if we were produced in God’s picture I would mention it is very likely that He too longs to be appreciated. As they look down upon us in the course of this Christmas season from their high station above, I hope my recognition is seen. May I endorse it by ways of my own giving this holiday season. May this holiday find you showing your recognition too.