Too Much Christmas

Brooke is someone who loves Christmas. She adores it, her house is full of decorations. Christmas music is always on her playlist, and as soon as it is socially acceptable, she blasts it for all to hear. She loves all the parties, the get-togethers, events, and fundraisers. She saved money for Christmas all year to make Christmas as magical as possible. However, this year something is different – she is tired and burnt out. 

She glances once more at the calendar, she is officially closer to Christmas than she is to the beginning of the month. And somehow she hadn't had a night at home since December first. Between working the occasional late shift and Christmas events, she hadn't had a quiet night at home, yet this year. And it just felt wrong. 

That's when it dawns on her, this was the only night she had nothing going on. “How did I do that?” She asks the empty room. “Is that why I am so spent?” Her phone dings, it’s her mom – reminding her, there was an event at the church tonight, some sort of ladies' tea fundraiser thing she hadn't RSVP to because she genuinely couldn't remember if she had something going on this night or not.

She could get ready and go, she could pick up an ornament on the way…But the idea of staying home curled up under a blanket with a warm cup of hot chocolate and a Christmas movie feels too irresistible. She types out her reply, “Hey Mom, uh, I forgot to RSVP for that. I know I could just show up but  I'm honestly feeling pretty spent, so I think I'm just going to stay home tonight.” She takes a breath and sends the message. 

Won't everybody be so disappointed in her? Won't they think less of her if she didn't show up? She always went to the ladies' teas. She shakes her head and starts her kettle. She then decides to make some popcorn. Sure popcorn wasn't the best supper option, but for a movie night, it was perfect. She could add some cheese and apples alongside to make it a little healthier.

Brooke listens as the butter and oil melt, adding the popcorn slowly it starts popping and the kettle starts to whistle. She adds some milk to the bottom of her cup and mixes in the hot chocolate powder, the sound of the water pouring into her mug makes her feel all cozy inside.

Soon the popcorn is done and her cup of hot chocolate is warm and toasty in her hands. Using her foot to click on her heated blanket, she carefully sits down on the couch.

The blanket starts to warm, and she begins to scroll through the thousands of Christmas movie options. Did she want to watch something new or something old? While she scrolls through the listings on the TV, her mind once again, begins to wander. Such a shame you're going to stay home instead of going to that party with all your church friends. You could make time for little Tommy's Christmas play, but can’t make it to a church event? Brooke tries to stop the spiral, but it’s so loud. Why have you burned all your energy on silly Christmas events, like work parties and friends events so that you can't go to this one event? You waste time shopping…

“Stop it!” She shouts slamming her mug on the side table, “It's not a problem that I take a night off. There are hundreds of Christmas events in the city alone every year. And I cannot possibly go to them all. I love Christmas, and I'm sitting here burnt out because I have not given myself a night off this entire season. I'm not a failure for wanting to take a night off!” She covers her ears as if that will stop her mind from racing with guilt.

Your mom could make time for it, and wasn’t she just as busy? Weren’t all the ladies at the event just as busy as her? Why was she so important she could take a night off? After all, wasn’t the reason for the season to be busy? She freezes, and the spiral stops.

  Her frustrations pour over, “No. No, it's not, nothing about this season is supposed to be about this ridiculous over-the-top busyness! A young woman had been going about her business when an angel showed up and told her she was going to have a baby who would save the world. The man who was supposed to marry her had been sleeping when the angel interrupted his dreams to tell him to marry the girl and help her raise the Messiah. People were too busy the night that Jesus showed up to notice. Nobody knew the Savior had come that night. Except for some Shepherds in their fields, who were sitting out in the calm and the quiet of the night when angels interrupted their normal routine.  There is nothing in the Christmas story that demands, this particular busyness. If anything, it demand us to take a break and slow down because if we all spend our days being busy we might just miss it!” 

She pauses – we might just miss it, other than at church listening to advent readings and a sermon series leading to Christmas. Had she actually thought about the reason for the season? She reached over for a church bag which sits on the other end of the couch. She can spend a few minutes reading through the different accounts of the Christmas story. Just as she was about to open her bible, her phone dings, another text from her mom. “Good call, sweetheart. Taking a break is important this time of year and you've been so busy. I'm glad you're taking a night off.”

She responds, “Me too Mom, me too.”  Silencing her phone, she opens her Bible and begins to read about the reason she celebrates. The reason this season was her favourite in the first place.