Have Yourself A Merry Little

Gò0dNews for Men

Have Yourself A Merry Little… by Bill Fortenberry

“Chestnuts roasting on an open…” Who am I kidding? I have never once roasted a chestnut, and my fireplace is gas-powered.

“Jack Frost nipping at your…” Seriously? I can remember raindrops hitting my nose and sweat dripping off my nose. There was that one Christmas, but the snow melted before dinner, so...

“Yuletide carols being sung by a…” Excuse me, but I believe you’ve mistaken the bearded kid in the skinny jeans for a choir.

“And folks dressed up like…” Have you EVER seen an Eskimo wear an ugly Christmas sweater? Me either.

If your Christmas doesn’t look like a Nat King Cole song, please, don’t give up. First, remember that for literally half the world, Christmas comes in the summertime. Second, not every choir is the Brooklyn Tabernacle, so maybe it’s best to stick with the bearded kid.

I could go on, but I think your time is better spent focusing on celebrating a real Christmas, not some nostalgic version of the holidays. Here are some ideas to help you put Jesus and the Gospel in your Christmas: • Watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Linus Van Pelt’s recitation of Luke 2 is a beautiful reminder of what

Christmas is all about. • Make a playlist. Music is subjective and nostalgic. My playlist is a combo of standards, childhood memories, carols, and big productions. Some of my favorites:

“The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait”; “Tennessee

Christmas,” Amy Grant; “White Christmas,” Bing

Crosby; “Handel’s Messiah”; “Christmas Time’s

A-Coming,” Bill Monroe; and anything Christmasthemed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. • Go to midnight Mass. Okay, the coronavirus might not permit that this year, but go if you can. I’m not

Catholic, and I don’t understand everything that’s happening in the service, but the solemn reverence and sheer beauty of the service is a reminder that

Christmas is a holy night. • Be a kid. Get everybody a toy for Christmas, even the adults. It may be a board game, a ball, horseshoes, or a deck of cards; just make sure you open it while everyone is together and that you actually play. • Make a few phone calls. Family and friends move, but technology has made it easier than ever to stay in touch. If you can’t visit in person, FaceTime your favorite cousin. Kids in other cities? Plan a Zoom meeting with everyone. • Don’t dispense with tradition. Add to it. I love ham for Christmas. My family doesn’t. A few years ago, we adopted the plan to cook everyone’s favorites.

Now Christmas dinner is ham and fried chicken and pizza, chocolate chip cookies and chess pie, and mac and cheese and corn on the cob. Everybody eats their favorite meal on Christmas, and it’s awesome! • Take time to reflect. At least once during the season, sit down and enjoy the moment. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that the unexpected can come at any time. Make the most of this Christmas. Be mindful.

Drink in every sight, smell, sound, and taste. You won’t regret it.

About The Author

Bill Fortenberry worked 17 years as a newspaper reporter, editor and columnist, and has worked in healthcare communications since 2001. Bill serves as the chairman of the board of managers of Haven Health Clinic for Women and is a men’s ministry leader and small group facilitator at his church, HBC Rome. He and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Ethan and Autumn. A storyteller at heart, Bill writes an occasional blog at kudzudad.blogspot.com.