A Lighter View
Peace on earth . . . at least in Dillsburg
By K.E.H. Stagg

December 23, 2010

Ever notice how the store shelves are wiped clean of pain reliever toward the end of December? It’s not seasonal colds that send all of Dillsburg out for the humongo bottle of aspirin; it’s the after-effects of too much holiday-ing. It’s the in-laws who criticize colored lights because, “We always used plain white.” Or, “How come they don’t blink on and off?” Or, “They blink so fast, they’re making me dizzy!”
It’s a card list that stretches from Dillsburg’s town square clear to the North Pole, and then having to wait for stamps in a line even longer than that for whispering this year’s wish list in Santy’s ear. It’s fighting with family pets to keep the tree upright and decorated, and then fighting with the kids to help pack everything away after the New Year.
I’ve even been caught in the cross-fire of opposing views on how Christmas ought to be celebrated. Some think it’s a religious observance that should be strictly limited to church buildings. Others think of it as a national holiday that’s all about piles of presents. Others think of it as a time mainly for family and friends to gather, and even if the global population is primarily non-Christian, so what?
If we can’t even agree on how—or if!—to celebrate Christmas, is it any wonder that the season of “peace on earth, goodwill to men” is often the most stressful time of year? There’s not much I can do about the nuttiness around me, but I’ve figured out a few tricks to keep the insanity at arms’ length.
First of all, I recognize that reaching my destination isn’t worth heartburn. In fact, letting the other driver go first, or the person with only two items ahead of me in the checkout line costs me nothing more than a couple of minutes, and goes a long way toward keeping peace with my fellow Dillsburgers.
Speaking of which, it may be considered politically incorrect to exchange Christmas greetings, but if you can’t be politically incorrect in a democracy (or a democratic republic), then where can you? Wishing someone, “Merry Christmas!” takes even less time than giving away my place in line, and the unanimous response to date has been at least a smile.
Finally, I know that Christmas is more than just decorations, cards, and presents. It’s a celebration created to rejoice in God’s gift of salvation to the world. If that doesn’t make me even a little bit willing to spread joy in my small corner of the world, then I don’t deserve to have a merry Christmas!