Have Yourself a Very Weird Christmas
By Jordan Ickes
I can remember my first family holiday gathering with Wendy’s family, it was Easter 2005. It was common for me to get together with my family on Easter. I think most families still do. My family typically had ham, and all the usual fixings for the meal. Everything was fairly routine and “normal.” The grandkids ran through the yard, collecting Easter eggs, their was prayer, and even a doxology and reminder of the reason for Easter.
All the usual things that make for an enjoyable Easter holiday were happening. It was a fairly standard holiday by my estimation. Until something very weird happened…
Wendy’s grandfather, Gene, went out to his car, and came into the house with a fiddle. (You know the difference between a fiddler and a violinist right? How many teeth they have.)
I thought to myself, “Oh, that’s cool, I wonder if he will play for us?” The next thing I know, Judy (my future mother-in-law) is sitting up by her piano, Kris (my future brother in-law), is grabbing his guitar, Phil (my future father-in–law), is grabbing his banjo, Amanda (Wendy’s cousin) pulls out a fiddle of her own, and Wendy got her guitar out too. I didn’t realize I was hanging out with the Partridge family. They were all going to play old songs, mostly hymns, together, from memory. They were extraordinarily good. I couldn’t believe it.
It turns out, Grandpa Beavers and his family, enjoy playing their instruments at their family gatherings. It isn’t just Easter. Any get-together has the potential of becoming instrumental.
This was and still is very weird to me. My family would never, in a million years, participate in such activities. Music is for the professionals, not the Ickes’. Easter is for eating ham, remembering Jesus and chocolate bunnies, not banjos and fiddles.
I know what you’re thinking, “Why are you talking about Easter, when the next holiday is Christmas?”
My first experience with the Beavers was weird, because they did something very different from what I am accustomed. They were weird because they were different for being Christians.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I might be weird in how I celebrate Christmas. I am a Christian, and that should make how I live my life very weird to a watching world. Lately, my Christmas’ haven’t been all that weird to the watching world.
Don’t hear me wrong, because often, I sound like Scrooge to my family and friends. I love the spirit of Christmas, and all of the music and lights that go with it. Yes, I even love the presents. Most of all, I love the spirit of generosity that permeates throughout the church and around the world because of the wonderful holiday. I love all of the extra things that make it special, hot chocolate, snow and egg nog. I enjoy it all.
But what brings out the grump in me, is the exchange of debt that happens at Christmas. One family, gives gifts, and goes in debt, only to receive from another family gifts, in exchange for a debt of their own. It’s ridiculous and the norm. I want to be weird, not normal when it comes to Christmas.
So, it has me wondering, if it is normal for Christmas to be a massive exchange of debt, how can I be weird? I don’t want to sound too pious, but I want to encourage you with a decision I’ve made to be weird this year. Instead of my family giving me gifts this year, I’ve encouraged them all to “buy a goat.” At first they are confused, and I mean for it to be. You can purchase animals for families all around the world through organizations like IDES or World Vision. The donated animals can become a source of food and income for impoverished people.
So for this years Christmas, I’m the weird one. If my family insists on buying me something, I would appreciate a pair of slippers. I’m getting older and my feet are cold. But most importantly, families in real need will be getting help because I want to be weird. Will you be weird with me?
Just so you know, I now participate with the Beavers in their musical gatherings. I play the spoons. I’m not very good at it, but I get to be weird with them. I am hopeful that my family will be weird together, and bring about a spirit of generosity in our family that truly impacts the world, not just our wallets.
1 Timothy 6:17–18 (NRSV) “As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share…”
Let’s be generous and ready to share this Christmas, with those who truly need it.
By Jordan Ickes
I can remember my first family holiday gathering with Wendy’s family, it was Easter 2005. It was common for me to get together with my family on Easter. I think most families still do. My family typically had ham, and all the usual fixings for the meal. Everything was fairly routine and “normal.” The grandkids ran through the yard, collecting Easter eggs, their was prayer, and even a doxology and reminder of the reason for Easter.
All the usual things that make for an enjoyable Easter holiday were happening. It was a fairly standard holiday by my estimation. Until something very weird happened…
Wendy’s grandfather, Gene, went out to his car, and came into the house with a fiddle. (You know the difference between a fiddler and a violinist right? How many teeth they have.)
I thought to myself, “Oh, that’s cool, I wonder if he will play for us?” The next thing I know, Judy (my future mother-in-law) is sitting up by her piano, Kris (my future brother in-law), is grabbing his guitar, Phil (my future father-in–law), is grabbing his banjo, Amanda (Wendy’s cousin) pulls out a fiddle of her own, and Wendy got her guitar out too. I didn’t realize I was hanging out with the Partridge family. They were all going to play old songs, mostly hymns, together, from memory. They were extraordinarily good. I couldn’t believe it.
It turns out, Grandpa Beavers and his family, enjoy playing their instruments at their family gatherings. It isn’t just Easter. Any get-together has the potential of becoming instrumental.
This was and still is very weird to me. My family would never, in a million years, participate in such activities. Music is for the professionals, not the Ickes’. Easter is for eating ham, remembering Jesus and chocolate bunnies, not banjos and fiddles.
I know what you’re thinking, “Why are you talking about Easter, when the next holiday is Christmas?”
My first experience with the Beavers was weird, because they did something very different from what I am accustomed. They were weird because they were different for being Christians.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I might be weird in how I celebrate Christmas. I am a Christian, and that should make how I live my life very weird to a watching world. Lately, my Christmas’ haven’t been all that weird to the watching world.
Don’t hear me wrong, because often, I sound like Scrooge to my family and friends. I love the spirit of Christmas, and all of the music and lights that go with it. Yes, I even love the presents. Most of all, I love the spirit of generosity that permeates throughout the church and around the world because of the wonderful holiday. I love all of the extra things that make it special, hot chocolate, snow and egg nog. I enjoy it all.
But what brings out the grump in me, is the exchange of debt that happens at Christmas. One family, gives gifts, and goes in debt, only to receive from another family gifts, in exchange for a debt of their own. It’s ridiculous and the norm. I want to be weird, not normal when it comes to Christmas.
So, it has me wondering, if it is normal for Christmas to be a massive exchange of debt, how can I be weird? I don’t want to sound too pious, but I want to encourage you with a decision I’ve made to be weird this year. Instead of my family giving me gifts this year, I’ve encouraged them all to “buy a goat.” At first they are confused, and I mean for it to be. You can purchase animals for families all around the world through organizations like IDES or World Vision. The donated animals can become a source of food and income for impoverished people.
So for this years Christmas, I’m the weird one. If my family insists on buying me something, I would appreciate a pair of slippers. I’m getting older and my feet are cold. But most importantly, families in real need will be getting help because I want to be weird. Will you be weird with me?
Just so you know, I now participate with the Beavers in their musical gatherings. I play the spoons. I’m not very good at it, but I get to be weird with them. I am hopeful that my family will be weird together, and bring about a spirit of generosity in our family that truly impacts the world, not just our wallets.
1 Timothy 6:17–18 (NRSV) “As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share…”
Let’s be generous and ready to share this Christmas, with those who truly need it.