christmastime ALL the time | sean beckett

I once heard a preacher say, “Christmas time is all the time.”  

He explained, because Jesus has come, 

God’s presence is here with us forever.

Emmanuel. God With Us. 

So therefore we can commemorate Christmas any day of the year. 

We can wake up on a school day in March

put on our polar bear and penguin pajamas, 

play a Christmas record from 1948, 

make a gingerbread house, and open up a few gifts. 

That sounds pretty good. 

Christmastime. All the time. 

Which is honestly, a mixed bag. 

It means moms are perennially going through labor. 

Shepherds keep having their well-structured night watches interrupted– 

The wisest men are saddlesore from travelling 

on camels halfway around the world, 

It means flights are the most expensive of the year,  

grades are getting turned in,  

and all our new year’s resolutions from last January

are showing up like Christmas ghosts with 

no hope of redemption.  But I know what that preacher meant.

He meant things may be hard but that 

in the middle of all the hurt and crap and sour 

there is still a reason to rejoice. 

We still go through problems but never alone. 

A night like tonight doesn’t have to happen only now.  

So please meet me on a Saturday morning in August 

after the world’s worst work week 

the most humid day of the year  

Bang on the door before dawn, 

We’ll make hot crossed buns 

in the oven, undercook them just for fun, 

find an old VCR player and some Peanuts specials 

feast on frozen fruitcake til we are just a little queasy 

and then, then we’ll sing hymns all day 

because yeah, It’s Christmas time all the time 

and God is not like Santa Claus,

the Easter Bunny,  or most partners most of us ever ever known 

who show up for a few special days and then are on their way

God stays. 

That’s a reason to celebrate…every day.