Christmas Unlike the Others

Christmas this year will probably be very much like it has been for years. You will continue with the same traditions which have been observed in your family for perhaps many generations. You can’t imagine Christmas being any other way. If you have lived in the same area all your life your friends and neighbors will celebrate Christmas in a similar way that you do. As children get older, go away to school, get married, have their own children there will be tweaks in the way you celebrate, but if there remains a family center, such as the home of grandparents that brings children to that home, the tradition of Christmas will continue to exist.

However, if by chance something happens that takes that center of family tradition away, or interrupts it by illness or death the celebration of Christmas will take on a different look. When everything is going well we are not aware of those who are saddened by the disruption of the familiar Christmas traditions.

Think about those who will not get to carry on Christmas as usual. There is a developmental center about 40 miles from where I live that provides services and support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, complex behavioral challenges and medical conditions whose clinical treatment needs cannot be supported in the community. Those who reside in this facility are from ages 5 through adults of all ages.

Several members of our choir and orchestra went there last night to perform part of our concert for them. There were about 125 who were able to come to the chapel to listen to us. Some of them were restrained. Some were brought in on cots or beds, still hooked up to IVs. Several of them were little children. A few of the residents cried or shouted out all through the program because they just couldn’t help but react that way. At the end of our program we sang a few familiar carols and invited the residents to sing along. I noticed an older man moving his head back and forth trying to sing. He had the biggest smile on his face. He was moving his lips as though he was singing. Sherri was standing close enough to him that she could hear him. She said all that was coming out of his mouth was a bunch of gibberish, no words because apparently he was not able to talk.

As we drove home last night we were talking about this man. He seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. Sherri said, “You know, to God that man's singing was as beautiful and as meaningful as any of the songs we sang tonight. Probably more so!”

I was thinking, that service last night may be the only Christmas celebration that the man will know this year. Many of those poor people were singing or trying to sing. Some couldn’t stand, some remained humped over the entire time, some were constantly shaking their heads or waving their arms about uncontrollably, yet I saw smiles and attempts at singing those Christmas carols. Just think, last night could have been the high point of Christmas for them this year. Oh, how thankful we should be if we are healthy both mentally and physically, and can celebrate the birth of our Savior with family and friends!