Christmas Preparation – What does it mean?

Deacon Norbert Gaudet, Raymore, RC Church

December 10, 2024

What does preparing for Christmas look like for you? Is it decorating? Is it shopping for gifts? Is it baking and meal preparations? Is it hosting a Christmas party? Is it cleaning and tidying? I imagine it is some of all of these and possibly more. Are all your preparations outwardly or is there time given to prepare inwardly? Are we preparing only for the coming of guests and family or are we preparing anew for the birth of Jesus in our life? What are we really preparing for? Not only do we celebrating Jesus' first coming but we are preparing for his second coming.

I see Christmas marketing starting the day after Remembrance Day and sometimes earlier, like after Halloween. I see many Christmas festivities happening before Christmas. What happens the day and days after Christmas? There are boxing day sales and all Christmas festivities cease. When we prepare for the birth of a child, we prepare what is needed to take care of the child but the celebrations take place after the child is born not before. Christmas season starts on the 26th not end. Do not stop celebrating the birth of Jesus on boxing day but continue.

As Christmas approaches, I suggest not to forget to make inwardly preparations as well as outwardly ones. Decorate a welcoming heart. Share gifts of love from the heart as God did and do not forget the needy, the poor, the vulnerable, the marginalized, the lonely ... They need food and clothing, the necessities of life as well. Clean and tidy your heart from vices and replace them with virtues. Make amends. Reconcile. Do not prepare for a secular Christmas but rather for a Christmas of HOPE, LOVE, JOY, and PEACE.

I wish all of you happy preparations and a joyous Christmas.