From The Editor: Christmas Coziness
I love being cozy. I’m one of those “you can never have too many comfort items” people. You want to give me a blanket? I will love it forever! I’ll snuggle under it with a hot cup of tea and not move for as long as my toddler will allow me to do so. Throw in a book or good movie and a pair of fuzzy socks, and I’ve reached peak coziness.
The season of Christmas comes with so many comfortable things: a chill in the air, a sip of hot chocolate, a brightly lit tree, a roaring fireplace, the smell of cinnamon and cloves. It’s a wonderful time to settle in and enjoy all the good feelings and nostalgic family traditions we have accumulated throughout our years of yuletides.
Not having grown up in The Salvation Army, my family’s traditions included going to the Christmas Eve family service, opening just one present that evening, then attending the 11:00 pm candlelight carol service before tumbling— reluctantly for us kids and gratefully for my parents—into bed. Christmas morning meant stockings, then brunch, then piles of presents (with five kids, it was a fun, messy business) before spending time cooking and preparing for a large family dinner, usually wrapping up the evening by watching my dad’s favorite holiday movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
For most of my Salvation Army friends, Christmastime means Angel Tree packing and distribution and bell ringing or kettle caroling. It means pushing your mind and body to the limits of your energy, counting money, sorting donations, and praying you make it to Christmas day so you can finally rest.
So much busyness! We get so distracted by all the things we have to do or must be involved in that we can easily lose sight of the beautiful peace this season should bring. Not only can we lean into the physical coziness of this time of year, we should also press into the peace Christmas means for us as Christians. Remember, God sent His son Jesus—to us!
Picture it for a moment: God loved His creation so much that He wanted to physically come to earth and snuggle into a mother’s arms. As a parent, there’s almost nothing more precious than feeling your beautiful baby resting peacefully on your chest. This is the feeling of Christmas—being so close and so completely loved by our Heavenly Father that the craziness and busyness of everyday life just fades away. The unconditional, unfathomable love of God completely surrounds us and holds us tenderly and fast.
I would encourage all of us, myself especially, to not lose sight of that this Christmas. When we begin to feel overbooked and overwhelmed by all our commitments and must-have traditions, just take a moment to lean into the arms of our Father who loves to hold us close and desires for us to find comfort and peace in His presence.