Is Christmas Over?

We spent a couple of days with our daughter and her family the day after Christmas. They have two children and it is always interesting to see the world through the eyes of a child.

Anna is four and Rebekah is four months old. Needless to say Rebekah didn't have a clue as to what was going on this year but Anna was enjoying all aspects of the season. She had learned Christmas songs and the children at the church they attend had sung some of those songs one Sunday. She helped bake cookies and a birthday cake for Jesus. She got to see Santa Claus and tell him what she wanted for Christmas. Her list seemed to change each time you would ask her what she wanted. She was even able to experience some snow flurries which are rare at Christmas time in the south.

Then there comes the time that we begin to clean up and put away the Christmas decorations for another year. We helped them take down their tree. Anna said "I don't like what you are doing. Is Christmas over?"

That question really spoke to me. It does seem that we act differently during this particular time of the year. We try to be nicer. We spend more money than we should to make other people happy. I think most adults are glad that Christmas is over because we go at it with all the wrong reasons and expectations. But through the eyes of a child it is exciting, it is fun. My answer to Anna's question was that it didn't have to be over. The tree may not be up any longer but the excitement of Jesus's birth would always be in our hearts and we should try to think about that.

Now I know that answer was way over her head but I needed to be reminded of it myself.

So I will ask you: Is Christmas over?