How did God do it? Make His birthday a time when we would all become childlike? Yes, of course, there are plenty of responsibilities that come along with Christmas. I would go so far as to say some of the childlike activities might even feel a bit of a burden by the time you are an adult. But very few of us can get through this season, without pointing to festively decorated homes, ooo-ing and ahhing over twinkling lights, munching on tasty Christmas cookies and more. So, it’s no surprise that on His birthday, the day He was born into the world as a child, when heaven kissed earth as I’ve heard it described, we all become childlike.
When the evergreen tree goes up, whether fake or real, adults and children alike are decorating it with a variety of ornaments, lights, and garland, topped with a star or angel or bow, all nods to finding Jesus or Jesus Himself, the true gift of Christmas. Christmas music or movies play in the background, helping us belly laugh, sing a tune or simply feel immersed in a particular kind of merry-making that escapes us most of the year.
Cookies recipes reserved only for this time of year get pulled out along with the green and red variety of sprinkles and a variety of memories from years past when the cookies burned or missed an ingredient or were just right.
Even as an adult, you begin to plan how you are going to decorate your particular sugar cookie shaped as a reindeer or wreath or angel. Whether cookies are delicately decorated or buried in a pile of sugary sprinkles, we don’t do this generational dessert cooking really any other time of year, allowing our inner child to create and decorate sweets to share with others.
Adults wear silly sweaters, sparkly earrings in Christmas shapes, flashing light necklaces or festive hats; even if we are dressed more formally, there tends to be much more sparkle and pops of color than normally appear in our wardrobes. A bit of adult dress-up allowing our inner child to have a bit of fun when celebrating this special season.
I participated in our local town parade with my daughter’s dance studio, adults and children alike waved and shouted Merry Christmas. When Santa’s turn came, people were jumping up and down, waving their arms about so that he would spot them and wave back. How did God give us this festive figure evolved from one of His generous saints to help us feel childlike each year? Adults and children alike can’t help exclaim, “Oh look, there’s Santa!”
Presents whether big or small bring a little thrill. Whether tearing at the paper or pulling tissue from a bag, there is a sweetness in knowing someone was thinking of you leading up to Christmas. The unexpected surprise of what awaits us under the paper and then we lift the gift up to show it to everyone, a specialness usually reserved for our own birthdays, and yet here on Jesus’ birthday, we get to do the same.
If you are around kids on Christmas morning, watching them sparks all kinds of nostalgia of gifts received as a child: a new bike, the latest gaming system, a Cabbage Patch doll that was all the rage, stuffed friends like Popples, Kaboodles to hold make up, Pogo sticks, Pocket Rockers, Stereos, Favorite band gear. You can recall the joy with which you received each of those gifts that topped your list when you were 7, 10, 13…and watching the kids experience the range of emotions, the desire to assemble the new toy or find batteries to switch it on as soon as possible, elicits from us “wows” and “whoas” as only children on Christmas morning can.
Then there is the singing, the loud, unfiltered belting out of carols whether in tune, or in my case, very out of tune, without worry of who is listening, but instead trying to get that funny extra line in nice and loud about Rudolph and reindeer games “Like Monopoly” (come on you know you just shouted it) or the building of “O come let us adore Him” from very soft to extremely loud, these songs let our inner child shine without worry of musical talent.
And so we are told in scripture:
“He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,* you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:2-3 NABRE
“When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”” Matthew 10:14-15 NABRE
Take advantage of this unique time of year when no one questions your adult self acting like a child and playing dress-up, eating sweets in unlimited quantities, belting out silly songs with jingle bells, decorating gingerbread, trees and houses, being smitten with lights, decorations, and characters of the season.
This time of year we might be closer to heaven than we realize when our littleness happens so naturally we barely recognize how childlike we’ve become just because it’s Christmas. I think it is no surprise that the celebration of His birth triggers in us an automatic way to “become like children” and be of heart and mind, ready to enter into heaven.
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