Curbside Yuletide...

Strewn about, like random shells after high tide lay the remnants of Christmas trees, dribbled with faded tinsel; hugging the curbs waiting for the onslaught of sanitation trucks to whisk them away to become the mulch of Christmas past. Cast out, with nary a thought were those evergreen boughs as they hung lazily over the curb. Clean it up, gifts away, wrapping paper be gone! Christmas is over! A chilly wind blew through the streets as I traversed the snow draped roadsides of our neighborhood. Screaming inside of my head, thoughts swirl as to the real days of Christmas, and that the first day of Christmas is December 25th. Twelve days of Christmas follow, when on the final day—the feast of the epiphany, the wise men reach the stable and offer their gifts to the babe lying in the manger. On that same day, I travel about our neighborhood where the joyous symbols of Christmas are now but remnants on the street. As Christmas music on the radio commences in early November and the tree in Rockefeller center arrives at Thanksgiving, it is easy to fall prey to the holiday season. Coupons, sales, markdowns and early bird specials are all of the “carrots” that spur the masses on to engage in the holiday deluge of buying. None of the wise men bought gifts. None of the animals shopped. The only lamp that shone was that of the star in Bethlehem that guided the wise men to the manger, where a babe was born. There were no Christmas trees, nor boughs or holly—just a baby who held a promise. As I pulled into my driveway, I took note of my neighbor’s Christmas lawn decoration—“Jesus is the Gift.” Lights continued to adorn her home, as lights adorned ours. It is now January 6th, the Kings have visited the babe in the manger and gifts have been given. As we embrace the New Year, let us give thanks for the gifts we are given, the challenges that we meet and the obstacles that we will overcome.