Yep. It’s only 87 sleeps until Christmas.
And I’m freaking excited! Especially since I’ve been counting down to Christmas since… well… LAST CHRISTMAS!
Not that I feel my actions require reasoning, I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you why I love Christmas, and in particular, why I feel the need to count down the days before December 25.
People say Christmas is stupid because its not even Jesus’ real birthday, and early Christians chose the date of December 25 because it was the same date as a pagan sun festival, or because it’s exactly 9 months after March 25 which is the date Jesus died and early belief was that he was concieved and killed on the same day 34 years apart so nine months after March 25 would be December 25,or because early Christians just liked the idea of hanging out together around a fire in the dark and cold of winter. Does anyone really care??? Christians have used the 25th of December to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Lord and Saviour since about the 300′s AD and if you asked me, I’m okay with that.
Can you tell I did some googling for that last paragraph? Anyways…
Christmas is more than a date where its okay for you to hang out with uncles who smell weird or when your grandma is allowed to kiss you in front of everyone (my grandma doesn’t do that but I’ve seen it on TV) or when you have to wear those dorky hats, or that glorious sweater…
Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ coming to earth as a human. The Word being made flesh. The great rescue plan that God has to save humanity starts. Here. With this baby.
Sounds like something I can be pretty excited for right?
But really Dan? (I’m putting my best “90% of people” accent – entertain yourself with it for a while) Must you count from 365??!!
Yes. If you were one of the prophets of the Old Testament and you got told by God that the rescue plan was about to kick off, that humanity was about to be saved, that the Saviour, the Messiah that had been promised so long ago was about to show up, and you KNEW THE DATE… you would be freaking buzzing with anticipation!!! You would work out using ancient Google that there are 31556926 seconds in a year (thanks, Google) and you would count. 31556926, 31556925, 31556924, 31556923…
Well, I would anyway.
And people would look at you weird and go (90% accent again) “But there’s so much other stuff coming up before then” or “you love maths waaay too much” – but you wouldn’t care because Jesus is coming and you
Can’t.
Wait.
So forgive me for having the lights up, the carols on my iPod, the cards pretty much already sorted, and the endless replay of A Very Veggie Christmas already cranking…
But Jesus is coming
And I’m super excited!
dg
one of the best blogs so far
I must say that I am a huge christmas fan myself
I have christmas songs on my ipod too (love The Christmas Song by Owl City)
There’s just this feeling about Christmas that I love!
It’s always a family time for me.
me and 19 others under one roof, playing halo till the sun comes up… its the best!
I’m fascinated with the christmas lights, they’re just so captivating!
And just to let you know.. there is 86 days 3 hours and 10 minutes till Christmas day
Your excitement is refreshing, Dan!
Thanks for the reminder!
You would be really excited about the festivals in the Bible bc they get counted down every year and have more significance in history & meaning than an arbitrary date in December. I could prove biblically that Yesua was born about now during the Feast of Tabernacles ( He came to tabernacle with us) but I don’t expect you to listen this year any more than you did the last several years.
Good on you for getting excited about Christmas. You should try it in America where they go all out in celebration & lights & snow & songs etc.
The festivals in the Bible don’t really excite me but I haven’t researched them at all. I will one day, but there’s enough other stuff that God’s showing me in the Bible that I’m okay not knowing – it’s what I have people like you for.
Thanks Esther