Christmas sure has changed over the years. For everyone in the world, but also for me and my family. I spent the majority of Christmas Eve this year at Brookings First United Methodist Church, where I am a sound and lighting engineer. It was weird to sit and think back to how Christmas Eve used to be as a child.
Christmas Eve always used to be the day of waiting. Waiting to eat, waiting until our mandatory attendance of church, waiting until grandma and grandpa came over, and waiting until after dinner when we got to open our one christmas present. Christmas Eve used to be the day of extreme boredom- of being so thoroughly bored that I decided to learn how to tie a tie many years ago out of sheer boredom. At some point, all of that changed.
Christmas Eve has somehow become one of the busiest days of my year. I usually arrive at the church around 8am and do not leave until about 1 or 2am on Christmas Day. Yesterday was a pretty crazy day. I am very appreciative of my fellow staff and volunteers at Brookings 1st UMC for making Christmas Eve so memorable for the hundreds of people who worship in our facility- I wouldn’t have made it through yesterday without their help and support. I am also very appreciative of my fantastic girlfriend for helping keep me sane on this difficult day.
I’m not exactly sure what happened to Christmas Eve. Maybe it’s all a part of growing up, or did something make it change? I’ve been told that I have always been mature for my age, but still, something changed. I can’t exactly put my finger on what, but Christmas just feels different now. Traditions have changed, and I am spending more time working than I do at home. Maybe I’ll be able to revert to the carefree, boring Christmas Eve in my old age, but I’m not holding out hope.
That’s all for now.