White Christmas

It was 1963 and my family had driven from Florida to Jackson, Mississippi for Christmas. We usually stayed home for the holidays but for some reason unknown to an 8 year old we decided to travel.

It was there, in a fairly unlikely location, that I experienced my first and only White Christmas–until today. Some 47 years later I’m seeing the white stuff coming down on Christmas Morning in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Excellent!

So now I’m wondering why we all dream of white Christmases. I think there are several reasons–it smacks of tradition (something everyone needs), of purity (unsullied by greed), of simplicity (fires, hot chocolate, and pajamas). It stirs a longing in us for something very different than our normal day: faith, family, safety. It speaks of peaceful beginnings and happy endings–like the old Christmas movies we watch over and over.

Times are troubled as they always have been but a White Christmas (indeed all Christmases) remind us that “peace on earth, good will to men” is the passionate desire of both God and mankind.

So, may all your Christmases be “white!”