10 reasons to rest assured that I'm officially in the Christmas spirit

Just in case you’re still wondering whether or not I’m a Scrooge, here’s a Top Ten list of reasons to rest assured that I’m officially in the Christmas spirit, whatever that means, exactly.

1. I wish people “Merry Christmas,” rather than Happy Holidays. If you want to say Happy Holidays, that’s fine with me. I take no offense. Just don’t take offense at me wishing you a Merry Christmas, either. And if your store chooses to eliminate the word Christmas from its vocabulary and advertising campaign in in the name of political correctness, then don’t be surprised if I do my shopping elsewhere. Which probably isn’t a big deal to you anyway since I don’t really do much shopping. So there.

2. I have a Christmas decoration in my office at church. As a matter of fact, it’s Santa Claus in a black leather jacket, dark sunglasses, jeans and boots riding a big red motorcycle. And when you start the engine he rocks out to “Born to Be Wild.”

3. We have a Christmas tree up at our house with all the ornaments we’ve accumulated over the past 21 years, and then some. And there’s a star on top. Not like the exploding trees they have on display at the Festival of Trees. What’s up with that anyway? Somebody needs to explain to me the concept of why the tops of all the trees look like somebody blew something up.

4. Gifts. When it comes to giving and receiving gifts, mostly receiving, I’m still like a kid at…well, Christmas.

5. The Nutcracker. The family and I went to the Sangamon Auditorium this past weekend to watch a fine performance of people ballet dancing. The sets and costumes were pretty impressive. It was weird, too, which is a compliment because the story takes place as a dream, and dreams are weird, so it was a good weird, I guess.

6. I look forward to family gatherings. We truly are blessed by God with good relationships on both sides of the family. Christmas gives us a chance to get together and enjoy our time, of which we never have enough.

7. Christmas cookies, puppy chow (the snack mix, not the dog food), white chocolate covered pretzels, cherry cheesecake, pecan pie, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, ice cream, bacon.

8. The scenes of Christmas decorating the town. Lights and nativity displays in tasteful moderation. Not the huge inflatable Santa in your front yard or the reindeer stable thing, but nicely decorated homes illuminating the neighborhoods. Unless the outdoor snow globe is your thing, then it’s cool with me, too.

9. I’m singing in the choir for the Petersburg First Baptist Church’s Christmas cantata this coming Sunday morning at 10:45. I have to because my wife is the choir director. It’s called “The Song of Christmas,” and I would love for you to come, too, and we’ll share in the Christmas spirit together.

10. Being reminded that the message of Christmas is Jesus. That He is the light of the world and the hope of the nations, who came preaching good news to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives, announcing the year of the Lord’s favor, and comforting all who mourn. He came radiating the glory of God. He came abounding with the love of God for mankind. He came to seek and to save the lost by dying in our place on the cross, then rising in victory over sin and death and hell forever. He came as a baby born to a virgin girl named Mary in the little town of Bethlehem, but will one day come again on the clouds of heaven in power and great glory as the mighty King of kings. O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!