All the songs tell us that we should be delirious with happiness right now.  All the street lights should look like strings of lights and even the stop lights ought to be reminding us of ornaments as they blink a bright red and green.  With people passing and children laughing, we should be meeting smile after smile and every jingle or jangle we hear should be the sweet sound of silver bells.

I love Christmas.  My mom loved Christmas.  She knew how to make something out of nothing and take joy in what she did have and set aside any thoughts about what she didn’t have.  I love surprises and gift giving and if there’s one thing in life right now that has raised the joy in that, it is having our little Snookie.  At almost two years old, he’s all wonder and happiness.  Together, he and I have been making Christmas cards for him to give to his special people and when he “paints” with his markers, he is purposeful and pleased and understands that he’s making a beautiful thing that will make someone smile.

There are, of course, some of you who are having trouble mustering up a smile.  Perhaps it is for good reason.  There’s no getting around that for some people Christmas is a reminder of loss or past or present pain.  Sometimes it can be fear of loss if illness threatens someone you love.  It can also be the absence of someone due to miles or because there’s been a rift that you feel helpless to repair.

Whether you are decorating your heart out and baking mountains of cookies while the carols play or whether you are struggling, an extra smile can’t hurt, so I’d like to share one of our Christmas smiles with you.

When Pookie arrives each day, she asks me how our day went and how things unfolded with lunch, naptime and Snookie’s mood and behavior (which, by the way, is nearly always wonderful).  Then on the drive home, she asks questions to get his version of the day.  I had decorated for Christmas and placed the Baby Jesus candle in the room where he naps so that we could light it while we snuggle, sing “Away In a Manger” and talk about Jesus.  (Do I need a disclaimer here to say that after he falls asleep I blow out the candle before I leave the room?)

The first day we lit the Baby Jesus candle, it was still fresh in his mind on the drive home.  The conversation went like this:

Pookie: Did you have a good day?

Snookie: Candle!
Pookie: Did Grandma have a candle?
Snookie: Light!
Pookie: You lit a candle?
Snookie: Jesus!
Pookie: Oh! You and Grandma lit the Baby Jesus candle?
Snookie: I do.  (Always his answer when he’s affirming an action or desire.)
Pookie:  Did you know Christmas is Baby Jesus’ birthday?
Snookie: Cake!!!
Pookie: Well, maybe we will have cake for Jesus’ birthday.
Snookie: Try Mama.

So, now, though we’ve not had the tradition in the past, Pookie is thinking that maybe a birthday cake is in order for Baby Jesus.  And, why not?  He is the reason for the celebration after all.

Children and their understanding of Christmas can not only bring us laughter, but bring us back to a place of wonder.  If you’ve wandered from your wonder into a place of commercialism, cynicism or down-heartedness, maybe it’s time to pray that your childlike joy returns.  I’d love to hear your stories of how the children in your life have understood Christmas, so please leave them in the comments.  I’d love to write a post filled entirely with those! 

One of my favorites is when my niece was discussing the Christmas story with her mommy.  They talked their way through it and when they got to the part about the wise men coming to bring gifts to Jesus, she asked what they tripped over.  Now, this puzzled my sister and she asked the reason for the question.  My niece gave the obvious answer:  “Mommy, it says they fell down and worshiped Him.  What did they fall over?”

I hope this has given you a smile.  I encourage you, like Snookie, to “try”.  Pull out your Bible and read through the portions of the book of Isaiah that promise us hope and tell us that the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.  The Light is Jesus and it far outshines the candles we use in symbolism.  Go to the New Testament and read the story of Jesus’ birth in the Gospels and ask Him to put that same “Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men” in your heart.  It’s more than just something to be printed on greeting cards.  Or, bake Him a cake!

Take the first step by going in search of the Christ-child.  Just try!

Still struggling with stress and perhaps even guilt? Check out “I Surrender All…Guilt” here and and “I Surrender All…Guilt” (Part 2) here.

Leave your comments with your fun Christmas stories, so we can all share Christmas smiles!

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If you’re in need of a case of the out-and-out giggles, take a journey through my “Laugh” page and also the stories about my “Life With Smuffy”.