“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.”

ITS CHRISTMAS!

Shouted in my best Slade voice. Or is it Wizard. I can't quite remember.

To be honest I'm actually shouting this inside my head as I happen to be sitting in front of a humongous roaring log fire in an equally gargantuan sized house in the country. Twitter followers amongst you will immediately assume this is my lovely sister's, who does indeed have a larger than average home, with log fires and spacious hall, grand enough to fit in a Christmas tree (featuring quite high on my own wish list), along with a piano and cosy armchairs, as I was there last night and tweeted about it.  But no, let's go up a notch or hundred.  Think estate, think elegant historic setting, think Victorian mansion, think Downton.  Only in order to justify it's existence and to keep going at all it has gone the way of a conference centre.  So I sit here as part of my job and I'm relishing in this place; the fire, the chandeliers, the wood panelling, the million foot Christmas tree, the library and indeed the most delightful grounds which come with attached pretty village, streams, bridges and waterfalls in the way that only England can do so well.  The mist hovering a foot above the lake type thing.  It's stunning.  And it feeds me.  It feeds my soul.  Heavenly is no exaggeration.

Sitting by the fire, shouting in my head, has set me pondering about Christmas. And why not?  It's worth a ponder, as the rather noble minded reverend informed me, via radio, on my drive over here. She urged us to think on Christmas and what's important and not to get caught up with the 'stuff', the paraphernalia of it all. Think about what matters she said.  I'm a Christian and of course I want to focus on what matters.  Of course I want to keep Christ in Christmas, and the last thing I want is to 'do away with the manger' as I often acted out in a Christmas sketch on countless occasions.  I want it to be about Jesus.

So here's my ponderings.  The 'stuff': the Christmas trees, the lights, the decorations, the angels, the lights, the Christmas tea towels, the baubles, those lights again, as you really can't have too many, and even the Father Christmas' they all do it for me.  It brings out my creativity.  And I, like God. look on my handiwork, hard work  and I'm able to say it's good and so thankfully does my family and my friends.  When all is done and decorated, I sit and reflect.  I sit and I see. What do I see?  Who do I see?  In a cosy, fairy lit room I see Jesus.  In each memory filled festive ornament, I see Him.  In the old and the new, in the charming and the quirky, in the tasteful and somewhat ridiculous, I see Him. Because I see Jesus in everything.  It's as easy for me to see Jesus in creation as it is to see Him in my Christmas paraphernalia.  It all feeds my soul because He feeds my soul and this 'stuff', for me at least,  is all about Him, his birth, his coming into our world,  God loving our world so much that he sent His son Jesus.  I can't 'do away' with Jesus at this time any more than I can 'do away' with Him anytime.

So friends. Feel free in joining with me as I shout out very loud,, whether it be singing carols at a carol service, screaming 'it's behind you' at a panto,  or squeals of delight as I unwrap my presents..............

.............. IT'S CHRIiiiiiiiSTMAaaaaaaS!

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