While many Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, others are celebrating a very scary holiday: Halloween.
And what’s even scarier? This blog post has nothing to do with Halloween. In fact, we’re talking about a holiday that, well, won’t be here for another few months (luckily, tomorrow we can say that it’s next month, so it’s not too much of a faux pas!).
Christmas.
The holiday that retailers have been trying to get you to pay attention to since, oh, beginning of August?
It’s the one that for many Americans, has lost its meaning. It has turned into a game of White Elephant gifts, only instead of choosing just one gift, we’re focused on cramming it all together for one long, exhausting celebration; a celebration that we’ve often lost the why behind.
But this year, Sparkhouse invites you to take a step back and remember the reason for the season: Jesus’ birth.
For youth, they often have more questions than answers this time of year. And while, as adults, that can be scary indeed, it’s not.
Questions like, was Jesus actually born on December 25?
What do presents and the Christmas tree even have to do with Christmas and Jesus’ birth?
How do Christians celebrate Christmas?
Before you run away…
It’s important to remember that by asking questions, youth are showing their interest. They are showing their desire to learn and grow in their faith.
Think about your own life. Ever enter a conversation with an acquaintance or friend? And you feel like they aren’t bringing anything to the conversation? Likely it’s because they aren’t asking you any questions or exploring your friendship in an engaging way.
As adults, questions like whether Jesus was born on December 25 and how Christians celebrate Christmas can be terrifying – mostly because you may not know yourself.
So, the scary truth about Christmas
Kids ask questions. Youth ask questions. Adults ask questions. And sometimes, there aren’t any answers.
The scary truth about Christmas? Questions are okay. And so is not having an answer. The important thing comes from exploring the questions, and particularly for your youth, helping them build a foundation of faith by uncovering the meaning of it all and how that relates to their lives.
Interested in creating a space for youth to explore the reason of the season? Check out Sparkhouse’s T.B.D.: Christmas digital lesson, which includes a video, facilitator guide, and student journal for just $5.99!
