Landfills and parking lots across Alaska are already filling up with discarded Christmas trees despite the fact that the festive season is only three days old. A Dec. 27 notice from city officials in Juneau invited residents to “bring your Christmas tree to the landfill for free.”
Castaway evergreens pile up in cities and towns each year just days after Dec. 25. It wasn’t always this way.
There’s no reason to stop partying just because the secular culture has moved on. Christmas is a big deal – the Nativity of Christ changed history!
The old song “The 12 Days of Christmas” actually points to the fact that the holiday continues well after Dec. 25, a fact lost on many due to the fact that the Christmas frenzy often begins shortly after Halloween and ends in exhaustion on the actual start of Christmas.
Historically, December was set aside to celebrate Advent, a preparation period for Christmas. Homes were slowly decorated, gifts were prepared, and churches gradually built up to the launch of Christmas on Dec. 25.
Even now, Alaskans need not let the days following Dec. 25 be merely a solemn march into the negative temperatures and darkened days of January. The historic Christian celebration of Christmas extends at least until the Three Kings find Baby Jesus in the manger, which is historically celebrated on Jan. 6.
For those who wish to keep the tree watered and the lights up, there are many songs and traditions to keep the Christmas celebration going. Below are a few ideas.
- Sing one Christmas song each night after dinner.
- Play Christmas music that you may be unfamiliar with.
- Read a short passage of Scripture describing the events surrounding the birth of Christ and the days following.
- Exchange small gifts throughout the days of Christmas – something more like stocking stuffers.
- Host a Christmas party after friends and neighbors have packed up the holidays and have nothing else to celebrate.
- Watch a unique Christmas movie like “Joyeux Noel” which recounts the holiday cease fire between troops during WWI.
There’s no reason to stop partying just because the secular culture has moved on. Christmas is a big deal – the Nativity of Christ changed history!
