Soap Box

I haven’t watched a single Christmas special this year, visions of sugarplums aren’t dancing in my head, and I feel more like saying “Bah humbug” than wishing Christmas cheer.

The stress has been more than any Christmas I can ever remember, and this year I think I understand what The Grinch, Burgermeister Meisterburger, the Winter Warlock, the Abominable Snow Monster of the North, the cranky brother with the flaming hair from ‘The Year Without a Santa Claus’ and Bill Murray felt.

Not really…

It’s just the overall feeling from the fatigue of a really bad year, bad in almost every way, pandemic, losing dad, trying to keep a business based on his talents going without him, pandemic, a chaotic and frustrating election season, a hectic Black Friday/Cyber Monday Christmas push for our website sales, and did I mention the pandemic?

Unfortunately, “the most wonderful time of the year” hasn’t quite been the same in 2020. The push for our Christmas website sales usually puts me closer to Christmas Eve before I can relax and start trying to take in the joy of the season, but it’s going to be even more difficult this year.

It’s been difficult to find joy this year, to be honest, the whole season has been draining, as if 2020 hasn’t been draining enough.

It’s going to be even worse, because our jolly man with the white beard won’t be at our house this year, and we can’t even have the normalcy of our large Christmas Eve and Christmas Day traditional gatherings to at least have that to hold on to. Instead of a houseful it’s going to be a fraction of the size it normally is.

It’s the biggest “sadiversary” of the year.

Dad loved Christmas, he had such a big heart, and he loved every aspect of the holiday.

There was no CDB Christmas party this year, no Santa calling up the children and grandchildren of the CDB family. You could see the pure joy in dad’s eyes as he played Santa’s little helper next to the big guy.

Normally on Christmas Eve after attending church, we would have friends and some of our closest CDB family to gather around and listen to dad read the Christmas story from the Book of Luke, and his original story, “A Carolina Christmas Carol,” which has been a tradition in our house since the story was written in the mid-80s.

Then after the reading, dad would go around the room and ask everyone to say a few words, what they were thankful for, anything on their minds, or just simply, “Merry Christmas” for the shyer guests in attendance.

But, I don’t know if mom will be up for it since it’s just going to be a few of us, and it will probably make her cry more than she already has been. 

So, large men in red suits breaking into homes, tinsel, gifts, mistletoe, lights, the whole thing just seems empty this year.

Bah, humbug.

But that’s not what Christmas is about.

Christmas is about the miracle of a baby born in a stable over 2,000 years ago who would be the Savior of the world, who would grow to be the most influential person who ever lived and who would be a living sacrifice for our sins, and the shedding of His blood brings salvation for everyone who wants it. 

It’s a gift.

The best Christmas gift ever.

It’s a gift we can’t earn, it’s a gift we don’t deserve.

It’s grace.

If we have to earn it, it’s not grace.

And it’s right there for the taking. We just need to humble ourselves, admit we are sinners and that we need a Savior, acknowledge that Savior is Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, and that God raised Him from the dead.

It’s that simple.

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

It might be time to watch Linus say those words again for at least the 50th time, or so, maybe my heart will grow three sizes, it sure could use it this year.

God Bless us, everyone.

Read Part II of CD, Jr.'s Blue Christmas HERE

Merry Christmas!

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police, the peace of Jerusalem and our nation.

God Bless America!

#BenghaziAintGoingAway

—  Charlie Daniels, Jr.