What's next?

 It was early September and I walked through my local Costco to get my shopping done for almost a month when I turned left at the two aisles of books. So many great titles that caught my eye and I imagined it would benefit my mind and some titles that my grandsons would enjoy as well. But I was on a mission and didn't really have time to investigate so many stacks. So back to the main aisle and I was caught out by the two to three-metre green Christmas trees. And other colours. And...wait a minute... it's September!

We had not had a race of horses in Melbourne that stopped the nation. 

The US had not had another contested and stolen election (did they ever have one of those?)

Canada had not celebrated its Thanksgiving in October.

Calendar confusion seemed to be front and centre in my shopping cart. But that was three months ago. 

Now it's 18 December and I'm in Nashville USA. Almost every radio station is playing Christmas music. Deck the halls,  Frosty the snowman. Away in a manger. O come Emmanuel. It's all there. But wait a minute... it's not even Christmas.

Yes, here's a bit of historical reorienting. Christmas begins next Sunday evening. Why then? It's 24 December. Christmas Eve. Just like our Jewish celebrations which begin the evening before the next daytime, Christian holidays (and seasons as well) begin the evening before. Historically at the 'midnight mass' which I guess is 25 December, but as locked-in times 12 midnight got morphed into 11 pm candlelight or 4:30 pm Family church gatherings with donkeys and shepherds and... the eve launched the day. So Christmas begins on Christmas Eve. That's when you put up a tree. That's when you build the macano set or put the hobby horse together and put it with the bicycle and the doll under the tree. 

Then there are 12 days of Christmas. You remember partridge, pear tree. Five golden rings. 12 days. Or maybe you remember Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" having a Christmas orientation. On the 6th of January in the Western church, Epiphany takes place. Yup, 12 days after Christmas. Just like Jewish people have 8 days of Hanukkah every year with commensurate latkes and dreidels, with family gatherings and gifts and gelt... Christians historically had 12 days to ponder the drama of the birth of the greatest Jew who ever lived. Messiah, Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth. 

12 days is a package of time which is reasonable. And not at all overwhelming. Simple. Time to ponder and reflect on the great story. 

But when "Christmas" begins in September, we are exhausted by 25 December. No wonder most put their Christmas trees on the sidewalk outside their houses by 26 December. They are over it. Families return to their (own) homes, the sales of Black Friday are nothing compared to the Boxing Day sales. Merchandise Day-- it ought to be titled. 

Next year, Hanukkah begins on Christmas. That will be confusing to many, but we have another year to plan for the madness I anticipate then. 

For now, enjoy the end of Advent and ready your heart to prepare Him room. Let every heart prepare Him room.  Born is the King of Israel. Yeshua, Messiah, Saviour. 

What's next? For me it will be Christmas Eve on Sunday and Christmas on Monday. I don't really care if Yeshua was born on that day 2,000 years ago. It's unlikely that it was in the winter. Even so, it doesn't matter -- I'm glad the world stops and notices this story, and some process the wonder and the majesty of the birth of the Messiah who conquered sin 30 years later on the Roman cross in Jerusalem. 

Have you processed that truth? For yourself, I mean? Have you? Will you?

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

To thee.

Process that one. Please.

Merry Messiah-mas!