It's begining to look a lot like Christmas
The tree is up and decorated.
The stockings are hung on the book case with care
The plastic snow flakes are hanging in the door way.
Isaac ran up wearing a Santa hat and asked, "can I be an elf?"
The song "Emmanuel" is coming from the kitchen.
I love Christmas time.
Here there are some unique challenge, however.
In Uganda this is the time when everyithing goes up in price.
A bag of charcoal that was 5,000 shillings last week is 13,000 this week and will go up to 20,000 by Christmas day.
Everything goes up in price dramatically.
Christmas is also the time of stealing.
We had to add security lights as thieves were seen at night twice checking out our place.
We had a large metal sign post made to block the spot where the thieves have been watching our home.
It was suggested that we paint a verse on it,,,"the wages of sin is death." :-)
Dick's mother's shop was robbed recently in the trading center. Their compound at home was robbed last week. Thieves again went to the shop to rob this family for the third time but were chased and caught by security.
Doug's church building was robbed last week and their speaker system was stolen.
There are so many stories around town of thieves.
So many people do whatever they can to force bribes or get a little extra cash for Christmas.
It doesn't seem to matter what their job is.
I don't pay bribes.
Christmas in Uganda is a religious holiday where many people get dressed up and go to church. They eat a meal after church at home. There may be an article of clothing given as a gift but it is usually very limited.
Santa is called "Father Christmas". One of my friends said, "Father Christmas doesn't come to Uganda!. Maybe the weather is too hot here!"
It is strange to me that the day that the world remembers the birth Christ can also be the day of great selfishness.
Ironic, isn't it?
For my family we love to celebrate the wonderful gift that God gave us in his son Jesus. There is no great gift that has ever or will ever be given.
What's your favorite part of Christmas?
posted by Jeff Cash @ 8:19 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
As I drove out of the Target parking lot tonight, I was contemplating the out-of-control materialism that accompanies this season. And I am a part of it, to be sure. I truly enjoy picking out gifts for my family. My favorite part? I love pretty much everything - the Christmas tree hunt, decorating the house, getting together with the Cash cousins, the anticipation on Christmas morning - it all brings me great joy.
I love to hear other peoples stories of Christmas. I love to hear how Christ followers are taking the materialism out of Christmas and beginning to honor the birth even more. I love the stories from across the world. I love how a single story can unite people across national borders. Thanks Jeff for your stories. They enrich my life.
Wow, that is interesting. In our Cultural Anthropology class I had the students read "Eating Christmas with the Kung!" and it is amazing how different the customs are in Africa. Your post is good and I think I will forward this to my students.
Here is an article about Christmas in a different time (http://wineskins.org/filter.asp?SID=2&fi_key=102&co_key=1037)
Have a great Christmas.
Christmas definitely is my favorite time of year as people begin to hear Christmas carols, especially the ones about the birth of the Christ child, and begin to wonder if it could be true. I love decorating the house, as you know, for it is such a festive time to have friends and family get together.Snowflakes in the windows, Santa collections, little Christmas village scene,baking special holiday treats..and cross stitching stockings for each wonderful Cash grandchild. Twelve different ones for precious grandchildren, Fiona being #12.
Christmas is a season of giving, and we feel so blessed.
Phyllis aka Mom/Grammy
Ahh, Christmas...
-I love the Santa and the elves on mom's table.
-Christmas carols.
-Christmas pageants (Bryson has one at school and Bryson and Cason are in the one at church and I'm the director. YIKES!)
-Cold weather (yes, it does get cold in TX. The high today was only 33 with a wind chill of 9..BURRRRRRR)
-National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
-Chicken Spaghetti in Christmas Eve
-Santa Clause!!!!
-High School Football Playoffs,GO MOJO!!!!!
-Family and traditions
I'm sure there is much more that I will think of as the season progresses. We miss y'all so much and wish so much you could be here. Bryson saw all of y'alls stockings on Mom and Dad's mantle Sunday and got so excited and said, "Are they going to be here for Christmas?" It made us cry. We love and miss you.
Reese
Hmmm? Concerned about the inflated price of charcoal? Please tell me that your kids will get something else in their stockings! I have paid many bribes, especially at Christmas - and you kids kept asking for more.
Christmas to me has always centered around family. (Growing up, we really didn't believe that that day should honor Christ - any other day but that one. We celebrated a holiday of good will etc.) There is only one Christmas in my memory where something else besides family really stands out. That was Dec. 7, l941, Pearl Harbor day. A lot of gifts have been given and received in my 73 years, a lot of good food eaten, a lot of good football watched, and even some good movies, but it is family togetherness which stands out in my memory.
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