Christmas! I love it! I bet you do, too. I love the crisp winter air, the smells of evergreens and cinnamon and hot cocoa and peppermint. I love the twinkling lights on trees and the pretty packages wrapped up with bows under them. I love the sounds of the Salvation Army bells ringing, fires crackling in the fireplace, and even the hokie Christmas music playing everywhere. It all puts me “in a holiday mood.” It truly is “the most wonderful time of the year.”

But I also hate it! . . . I bet you do, too. I hate that it seems to start earlier and earlier every year. Somehow seeing Jack-o-lanterns and Santas side by side just doesn’t work for me. I hate fighting the crowds. [Did you read about the Black Friday “door crashers,” who bolted from their cars and muscled through the crowds just at the last minute . . . shoving the “all-nighters” out of their way?] I hate playing musical cars racing for parking spaces. I hate elbowing my way to a place in the check-out lane (only to have it close when it’s my turn.) I hate frantically looking for that last gift left to buy.

I’m not sure this is what Jesus had in mind! I have my doubts that the angels are drinking eggnog and listening to Bing Crosby croon “White Christmas.” I doubt the angel who drew Gabriel’s name is trying to figure what to get for someone who already “has everything.” And I can’t imagine that the angels are munching on Chex mix in front of the big screen watching “The Grinch,” or “Rudolph,” or “Frosty” (or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” for that matter, even if it is about angels getting their wings). Can you?

It’s easy to dismiss the stuff I hate about Christmas . . . to talk about how with all the hustling about we lose something of the essence of this season of peace. Yet, somehow, it’s difficult to picture the stuff I love about Christmas (and I do love it!) as Jesus’ idea, either. All the “hoopla” just doesn’t seem to fit his “humble” image very well.

Perhaps we should ask, “How would Jesus celebrate Christmas?” As soon as I wrote this question, however, I realized that Jesus loved to party. So maybe I’m way off here. Maybe Jesus would really get “into the spirit” of the season. Oh, he’d probably shun some aspects of the celebration, like the whole commercial side of things. And he’d probably make everything from scratch, rather than buying from Wal Mart (he was a carpenter, after all). And if he did stop at Wal Mart he’d probably give up his place in line to the single mother with three kids in tow. Mostly, I think Jesus would just show kindness in every way imaginable.

Here’s my “What Would Jesus Do for Christmas?” Top Ten List:

10. Ring a Salvation Army bell.
9. Play Santa at the mall, so he could bless all the children (and their parents).
8. Drop off gifts for children living in “by-the-week” motels.
7. Visit nursing home patients who have no family.
6. Plant pine trees.
5. Stop by Waffle House (or Steak ‘n Shake) in the middle of the night to sing carols, dance with the workers, and wash the dishes.
4. Visit inmates in jail.
3. Give all his gifts away to others.
2. Visit the AIDS ward at the hospital.
1. Spend the night in a homeless shelter. (He was homeless, after all.)

And here’s my “What Would Jesus NOT Do for Christmas?” Top Ten List:

10. Have a “wish list” of gifts he’d like to receive.
9. Park in a handicap space, because all the other close slots are taken. (He’d be walking, anyway.)
8. Camp out for Black Friday sales.
7. Push, shove, or elbow for position.
6. Hold a place in the check-out lane for his friend.
5. Eat too much.
4. Shop ‘til he drops.
3. Drink too much.
2. Walk past the Salvation Army bell ringer without emptying his pocket.
1. Run up his credit cards to the limit.

What do you think? How do you think Jesus would celebrate Christmas? Please share some of your thoughts on celebrating Christmas.