Please be slow to judge me

For the sake of this article, “I” am anyone you might encounter.

A few of you (likely a very few) are probably very excited by the Christmas décor up in stores and Christmas music playing on the radio. The rest of you are probably disgusted by the retailers shoving Christmas in your face before Thanksgiving and I have heard chorus upon chorus of “it’s too early” where the Christmas music is concerned.

Christmas – and the holiday season as a whole – will be different for me this year.

Perhaps I’m already joyfully listening to Christmas carols.

Perhaps I won’t listen to them at all.

Perhaps I will have all of my Christmas decorations up by this weekend.

Perhaps I won’t decorate this year.

Perhaps I will take great delight in every ounce of festivity I’m subjected to.

Perhaps I will be a scrooge at every turn.

Perhaps I will say Merry Christmas to everyone I see.

Perhaps I will be the refrain of Bah Humbug.

Perhaps I will attend every party, gathering, and event I can find.

Perhaps I will stay at home, grateful to be by myself.

Perhaps I will have myself a Happy Hallothankmas.

Perhaps I will boycott all three.

Perhaps decorating now gives me the opportunity to prepare myself for the onslaught of emotions.

Perhaps there is no amount of time that could prepare me.

Perhaps I am waiting for Christmas as a reminder that life goes on.

Perhaps I am dreading Christmas because it’s a reminder that life goes on.

Perhaps… I’m somewhere in the middle.

Please, be slow to judge me. Maybe you know what I’ve gone through this year. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you know me intimately and personally. Maybe I’m just that happy / cranky shopper you see in the store. Please, be slow to judge me. Christmas for me will be different this year. Give me a moment to explain.

This year…      I lost my mom / dad

                        I lost my husband / wife
                        I lost my sister / brother
                        I lost my son / daughter
                        I lost my grandmother / grandfather
                        I got divorced
                        I lost my job
                        I moved away from my whole family and won’t be home for Christmas this year
                        I / my loved one was diagnosed with a terminal illness

For a moment, just for a moment, lay down the commercialism that Christmas brings to the stores. Take a moment and stop assuming that people that enjoy Christmas aren’t thankful because they become “festive” before Thanksgiving. As Christians, Christmas is one of the days that we are MOST thankful. Christmas symbolizes the birth of our Savior. For so many, Christmas means so much more than the songs on the radio and the displays in the store. Christmas represents memories – perhaps memories are all that is left. Actually shouldn’t we “feel” Christmas all year long? Instead of focusing on the commercialism of Christmas, focus on the love.

Please… be slow to judge me. Christmas will be different for me this year.