Embracing the true meaning behind the Holidays

Coming into this year I expected that the hardest part for me would be around the holidays. Thanksgiving, I figured, wouldn’t be too difficult as I had spent it out of the country before, but Christmas and my birthday were two events that have always intertwined with each other and are the highlight of my countdown of being busy finishing finals and the cold December month.  However, I found myself this year engaged in the holiday spirit in a whole new way, and re-evaluating the way I’ve typically, selfishly, treated the last week of December.

Weather, I knew, would be much different. I’m used to wearing my jeans, closed toed shoes, and a sweater- along with a jacket and perhaps a hat and gloves. Here, my typical wear for December has been a short sleeved shirt, shorts or a long skirt, and sandals. My sunglasses are always on, and I’ve already gone through two bottles of sunscreen I brought from the States. This, I was prepared for, and honestly when my birthday and Christmas were fast approaching I felt more like I was in mid-July getting ready for a BBQ.

On the 23^rd of December, before my alarm even went off at 8am, I heard my four year old host brother outside my room yelling my name. In his hand he proudly held a wrapped gift. It was unexpected and I was surprised and smitten with the gift my host family so graciously got me. For my birthday, I was unsure what to expect. I thought maybe my family and I would share a meal together- a large meal, traditional for Holidays, including meat, rice, and various sides of vegetables. I didn’t expect a gift from them, oh, and did I mention the sheep slaughter that took place outside our house for the celebration of my birthday and Christmas?

 (The sheep that was slaughtered for my birthday and Christmas)

If you ask any of my friends at home, I’ve typically celebrated my birthday by having a ( large) party at my house. My friends from college travel to central PA and old friends from high-school all gather together to celebrate my birthday. I’m used to gifts on my birthday from friends and family, gifts on Christmas Eve from letters received in the mail from relatives, Christmas Day from family and friends once again, and even the 26^th of Christmas where the other side of my family gets together or I do a gift exchange with my girlfriends.  Sadly, as I sat here just a few days ago thinking to myself what were my top favorite Christmas gifts from the past five years, I couldn’t name them off hand quickly at all. I’ve grown up associating Christmas with an overconsumption of gifts that I can’t even remember what my best friend Sara got for me last year.

This year after the Christmas week has come and gone, I’m left feeling different. Yes, I have received less quantity of gifts, but in truth I will remember these gifts and this Christmas for years to come. Too often, I feel, we are overwhelmed by Christmas. We miss the pure joy and blessing which Christmas is all about. God gave us an incredible gift. A gift bringing peace and hope to the world- a gift that the world has never forgot.

The amount of gifts I got this year would have left me in previous years asking myself, “wait where are the rest of my presents?” But it’s this year that I’ve truly realized the amount of selfishness I’ve placed on this holiday to revolve around me. And honestly feel embarrassed by it. This year  it’s the green stocking from my best friend from college, Liza, who wanted to send me some Christmas joy, it’s the picture frame and honey mustard (because they know how much I love it) from my two best friends from home Sara and Meagan, it’s the soap and hand wipes from a mom at church and the note attached reading “Sorry, it’s the mom in me”, it’s the silk black and white shirt picked out from Connor a boy in my home church’s youth group, and it’s the used clothes from my mom (when upon receiving them they felt like a new wardrobe, and were an additional reminder of how much ‘crap’ I’ve collected over the years of asking for so much).

Every year I think we all try to remind ourselves what the Holiday should truly be about. But every year, I know I’ve found myself lost in translation as I’ve focused less on just spending time with the people around me and truly being thankful for the things, tangible and not, they have given me and more on making my Christmas list and checking the latest adds online and in the paper for the best deals on presents I want.

 (Me and my host brother on Christmas Day)

As the New Year begins, and next thing we know it’ll be the spring and New Year’s resolutions begin to fall heavy with dust, I pray that we all remember the greatest gift God gave us.  And I hope that we embrace each other and the blessings we give to each other. I hope that as the year continues and the holiday times begin to dwindle away, we don’t lose that spark of enthusiasm for each other and we remember, that being in presence with one another and truly, honestly, being thankful for the things you are given- hope, joy, love, peace, grace- is the greatest gift of all.

 (Me and my host family outside our church on Christmas Day)