The 12 Days of Christmas

I turned 40 years old in’04. Its now ’08 and you are not allowed to do the math to figure out how old I am now. The point is 2004 was a big year for me. It was a milestone, a dozy, a whopper, the big one – cause for pause you might say.

I admit I had a bit of trepidation when I first realized I was coming face to face with my forties. I didn’t feel forty. I didn’t look forty (and you are not allowed to tell me otherwise). I certainly didn’t act forty. But there it was on the calendar – 2004 – staring me down in some sort of game of chicken to see which one of us would blink first.

So, instead of running from it or saying I was 39 for the second time or mumbling anytime someone asked me my age I acted like David with his slingshot and ran toward the giant. In December 2003, I announced to my family that in case they were not aware I would be having a big birthday in the New Year. In fact, 4-0 in 0-4 was a rather significant number play and not everyone turned forty in such a like year. This obviously called for a very special 40th celebration. My family readily agreed. (The spiked punch I served them didn’t hinder their decision making either.)

I told them that I, we, would be celebrating my birthday on the appropriate day every month of ’04, not just in August as is the usual custom. I, we, would begin next month in January. And gifts would be expected – each month – it was birthday celebrations I, we, were going to be having after all. (This last part I was certain was a deal breaker.) 12 full-fledged birthday parties to celebrate my fortieth, this was my plan.

Much to my delighted surprise the gang jumped in in agreement. The family was on board whole heartedly. It was settled right then; we would have a birthday party complete with cards and gifts for me every month for an entire year – including the months after August.

It was hilarious and a blast. We gathered for bowling and pizza. Fajita dinners or game nights. Each month was different and brought something new. The gifts were great and the cards even better. I love Cheetos, I consider them a food group unto themselves. I have never seen a bag as big as the one I unwrapped one month. I received orange juice – renamed Captain Morgan Juice – because Cap’t Morgan likes to drink mine in the morning. I was given gifts of food storage containers because I rarely cook and leftovers are a necessity. A bar of “It’s All About Me” soap – one of my personal favorites; An “I Love Lucy” calendar; and a pair of Halloween socks.

As you can see the gifts were not fancy or expensive. They were thoughtful tokens of love. I still have most of them, save for the Cheetos (I do still have the empty OJ bottle with the substitute label). I smile every time I put leftovers in a container (I did it last week with some extra cupcakes). And I still have all the cards.

The “birthday parties” were actually reasons to get the whole family together, even if it was only one night a month. We are all so busy these days it gets easy to push family aside – we’ll all understand after all we’re busy too. But for one year my family took time out of our busyness once a month to celebrate a pretend birthday. That’s a gift we’ll all have forever.

Well, someone I know is about to celebrate His birthday. His 2009th birthday. That’s a way bigger deal than a 40th. We are all about to celebrate Christmas which is Jesus’ birthday. Christmas comes but once a year. And that’s sad. We make this huge deal out of it and then it’s over in a flash. All that goodwill and peaceful sentiment is packed up and put away until next year.

My family celebrated my birthday for 12 days and I don’t do a gnat’s eyelash for them as much as Jesus does for me and He only gets one day. Something’s wrong with that picture. So this is my plan; in 2009 I am going to celebrate Jesus’ birthday once a month for a full year. That’s right I am going to celebrate Christmas 12 times in ’09.

It’s the least I can do for the One who gave me the gift of my life and then saved it. There will be gifts – to those I love and those less fortunate than me. There will be singing and worshiping – the Birthday Boy deserves my best rousing “Happy Birthday to You.” There will be joy – because every party is an occasion to celebrate the beautiful blessings He has bestowed. And there will be cake – no decent birthday party is without cake. I will forego the 2,009 candles; I don’t want to burn down the house.

In 2009 the phrase “Christmas comes but once a year” just won’t fly in my home. If it’s the 25th there’s a party going on - Jesus is getting a birthday celebration fit for a King.

And you’re all invited. (I hope He likes soap.)

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