Too Soon
On the third day of December, I pulled into the parking lot of a local big box store with a short list in hand. For the record, I do not enjoy shopping. I do not browse. I do not window shop. If I go to a store, I am on a mission. In this case, I intended to purchase a festive door mat, a storage container, and a wreath hanger.
I located the first two items quickly; the third presented a challenge. After searching in the logical spots, I finally sought out an employee for help. The woman left her register and led me to places where I had already looked. Like me, she was surprised the store was out of wreath hangers so early in the season. I thanked her for her assistance, even though the mission had been futile.
While pushing my shopping card toward the registers, I stopped abruptly when confronted by this startling display.
Are you kidding me? Selling crosses emblazoned with “He is risen” when Christmas is still three weeks away? Who is buying crosses and Easter eggs less than a week after Thanksgiving?
When I served as associate pastor, I learned about the phenomenon of holiday creep, when retailers begin selling holiday-themed merchandise well before the traditional start of the designated season. When prepping for our annual Fall Fest, I acquired seasonal items the week after Labor Day, lest I find the shelves devoid of mini-plastic pumpkins by mid-October. As soon as Fall Fest was behind me, I immediately purchased items for our annual children’s Christmas party, having learned from experience that my options would be severely limited if I waited until late November to search for wooden ornaments.
But Easter décor before Christmas? Come on! Too soon!
I suppose I should not have been surprised to encounter this scene in this store. After all, in June I witnessed their display of Halloween inflatables on the same aisle as their Fourth of July offerings. Ghouls and American flags – quite a match.
I didn’t mention my dismay about the display to the cashier; after all, she had tried to be helpful, and I knew she had absolutely nothing to do with the decision to sell Easter crosses in the same aisle as pink reindeer. But I could not get that image out of my mind. He is risen? What about he is born? Shouldn’t we journey to the manger before we join Mary Magdalene at the tomb?
As I continued to ponder the untimely display in subsequent days, the Holy Spirit began whispering to me: Is this ringing a bell, dear one? Don’t you spend most of your days mentally rushing ahead rather than being fully present in the moment? Aren’t you perpetually hurtling toward the next big thing (and the big thing after that)? How slowly, how intentionally, are you moving through this season of Advent?
Photo by Rainy Wong on Unsplash
Guilty as charged.
If this rings a bell for you as well, then I have good news. It’s not too late to slow down. It’s not too late to pay attention. It’s not too late to center your soul as you await the arrival of Emmanuel.
I am aware that this is a challenging task, especially for anyone who is the holiday point person for their household - the one who decks the halls, prepares the feasts, and buys the gifts. I also know this is a challenging task for church leaders - clergy and laity - who are called upon to devote countless extra hours during the month of December to create meaningful worship experiences and host merry and bright special events.
Even so, I believe we can carve out sacred moments for spiritual reflection and holy rest during Advent. Light a candle and practice a breath prayer. Listen to a carol focused on waiting and expectation - something more “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and less “Joy to the World.” Take a contemplative walk and notice small things you might otherwise overlook.
Reflect and rest. Wait and watch. Savor the gifts of this season without rushing ahead to the next one. Give Mary and Joseph a chance to journey to Bethlehem. And never buy Easter décor in December.
