It reminds me about the story of a woman who was doing her last-minute Christmas shopping at a crowded mall. She was tired of fighting the crowds. She was tired of standing in lines. She was tired of fighting her way down long aisles, looking for a gift that had sold out days before. Her arms were full of bulky packages when an elevator door opened. It was full. So, the occupants of the elevator grudgingly tightened ranks to allow a small space for her and her load.
As the doors closed, she blurted out, “Whoever is responsible for this whole Christmas thing ought to be arrested, strung up, and shot!” A few others nodded their heads or grunted in agreement. Then, from somewhere in the back of the elevator, came a single voice that said: “Don’t worry. They already crucified him.”
That’s us, for the most part. So, what are we to do? How do we be the sort of people who put “merry” in “Merry Christmas”? How can we actually enjoy Christmas when we’ve already experienced a measure of chaos already, and even feel on a fast track for more tomorrow? How can there be joy waiting for us on Christmas, and enjoyment therein?