Have you taken down your Christmas decorations yet? One tradition suggests to wait and take them down after the 12th day of Christmas (also known as Epiphany). First, let me ask you, why did you put them up in the first place?
The sparkling tree. The glistening lights. The nativity scene, the dominant colors of red and green and maybe white, and not just indoors but outdoors, too. It’s all symbolism that helps you celebrate. Like the number of candles on a birthday cake symbolize your age.
Typically, however, the symbolism of celebration tends to lose its meaning over time, and the symbol becomes the thing instead of pointing to the thing. Like when Christmas dinner makes everybody so stressed out that they forget about the peace of Jesus.
In Joshua 4, the Bible reports an epic event as the Israelites cross the Jordan River (very similar to crossing the Red Sea 40 years earlier). To commemorate the event, God commands Joshua to set up 12 stones at their camp after they cross the river. He wants that pile of stones to be a reminder in the future, when people see it. He wants them to ask, “What do these stones mean?” (Joshua 4:21).
Take an inventory of your Christmas decorations and ask, “What does this mean?” Do this activity as you take down the decorations. Write down notes for next Christmas, perhaps doing this same exercise as you take the decorations out of the box and display them. Teach your children.
Be sure that, like the pile of stones pointed to the Lord, your Christmas decorations point to the real meaning of Christmas and don’t become the meaning of Christmas themselves.
PRAYER: Jesus, what a celebration! The Christmas decorations have been dazzling and delightful. Show the world, through these symbols, that you have come to save us from our sins. Let our salvation and delight be in you. Amen.
ACTIVITY: Do some research (I have found this website helpful https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/).