Holiday begins with hanging of the greens

All About Seniors

By HHJ Columnist Bill Millby

william.mercylink@gmail.com

Enroute to the church, just before 6 PM, a beautiful small deer passed in front of me and set the tone for the evening. When I arrived, the church building was partially decorated for Christmas and I saw various other decorations scattered about the building. As the service proceeded I couldn’t help remembering with nostalgia the small Baptist church I attended as a kid with perhaps a 100-150 members. 

Of course there was Christmas music by both the choir and congregation and interspersed among the carols were explanations of all our familiar Christmas traditions and decorations starting with lighting of the first Advent candle. Participants explained the origin of our familiar traditions. 

Did you know that St. Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first crèche, a nativity scene in 1223 (a “living” one) intending thereby to cultivate the worship of Christ, having been inspired by his recent visit to the Holy Land where he had been shown Jesus’ traditional birthplace. The scene’s popularity inspired communities throughout Catholic countries to stage similar pantomimes*? I didn’t either, and that’s just one of the things I learned as the service progressed through discussions of holly, ivy, wreathes, candles, evergreens, and poinsettias. It was a real education in Christmas traditions. 

As the service progressed, each family was invited to come to the front and hang a Christmas ornament on the tree. Then the “Annie Armstrong” offering for foreign missionaries was taken up and the finale was the lighting of candles by everyone passing the light on his candle to his neighbor signifying “the light of the gospel” being passed around the world. 

I couldn’t help wishing that my granddaughters were with me and at the end of the service I made a note on my computer’s calendar to invite them for next year. 

To me, this joyous but peaceful celebration of the Christmas season was a priceless opportunity to show our children the real meaning of Christmas (as opposed to Barbie dolls and video games). I’m glad I was invited and really glad I went. 

Hope you get invited to a similar celebration of Christmas this year. If you do, be sure to take your grandchildren with you! 

See you next week! 

*from Wikipedia 

Bill Milby, CSA, is a Certified Senior Advisor and a Director of Visiting Angels® of Macon, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for  us at www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsMacon.