It's almost too much to look at. Going shopping or basically going anywhere during Christmas time is a sensory overload experience. Starting right after Halloween, or perhaps even before, Christmas decorations and buying options show up everywhere we turn. It gets to the point that we mentally shut down, focus on what we're trying to do, and don't even see all the Christmas stuff anymore.
Or hear it. I love Christmas music and have it playing in my house or car throughout December. But even I have to turn it off or tune it out at times.
In this final segment of my series on putting Christ into Christmas, I propose that we deal with a sensory overload world by focusing on...our senses. What?
Yes. God gave us the gift of our five senses: Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. God offers us a world that we experience through these senses. When we shut down, we're missing what God has to offer each day.
To experience the season more fully, take advantage of your five senses. For example, look for small treasures you overlook. I was reading in Chicken Soup for the Soul's "Tales of Christmas," to which I contributed, a wonderful story about a four-year-old boy observing Christmas yard decorations as his family drove along. With every house, he would excitedly say, "That's a GOOD house," regardless of the quality or quantity of decorations. Seeing a house with only an unlit door wreath and some candles in the windows, he exclaimed, "That's a GOOD house." His father replied, "That house doesn't even have Christmas lights." The boy explained, "But it has candles, and those are pretty good."
Look for the candles this season rather than the sensational. Listen for new sounds, and taste something you haven't tried before. Pay attention to the smells of Christmas, whether it's a tree, food, or a candle scent. Go ahead and touch something that looks interesting. Shake a package if you like.
Using your senses allows you to experience this Christmas like no other. When you do, I believe that, little by little, you'll find that you're also exhibiting a spirit that will put Christ back into your Christmas.
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