Jill's Journal: A warm and fuzzy feeling
By:
Jill Meier, Journal editor
Whenever I hear the Christmas hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” it triggers memories of Christmases from my childhood.
Every year, that song served as the processional at church for the children’s program. Every year, my Sunday school classmates and I memorized lines from the Christmas story to recite in unison that usually led us to a sing a song or two.
This past Sunday, that song was the opening hymn for our worship service.
Immediately, flashes of Christmas programs come to mind. I remember being awestruck as we paraded in one by one down the long center aisle. The church was always festively decorated with plenty of greenery and lights and candles. The church was always filled to capacity, even overflowing, leading ushers to set up chairs in the aisles as a way to make room for just one more.
Other than the traditional Christmas carols, I surely don’t remember most of the songs we spent many a Saturday afternoon rehearsing over and over and over. But I can well remember the warm and fuzzy feeling the Christmas Eve children’s program left with you.
As a kid, I also remember the excitement that awaited us at home – and at grandma’s – following the program. Miraculously so, Santa Claus always managed to make a stop at our house while we were at church. With excitement building on the ride home, once we walked in the door, we could hardly ourselves as we spied the colorfully wrapped presents waiting for us.
Next, it was grab some of what you just received and get back in the car to head to grandma’s for more Christmas with extended family.
After my brother and I “graduated” from the children’s program, our family began taking in the candlelight service at 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. That service – filled with songs – is delivered in a candlelit setting, and now it leaves me with that same warm and fuzzy feeling that the children’s program once did.
No matter what your Christmas traditions are, my holiday wish is that you, too, come away with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Merry Christmas.
