The smell of oranges always reminds me of Christmas.
When I was growing up, every other year or so, we would drive down from New York to visit my grandparents here in Florida for Christmas. And I remember that my great-grandmother used to squeeze fresh orange juice for me and now the smell of fresh oranges reminds me of Christmas.
Christmas is a time for memories. Whether those memories be good or bad, they become locked inside of us, they become forever attached to Christmas.
I think my first Christmas memory is of my cat running up the Christmas tree and knocking it over, smashing all the ornaments on that side of the tree. My mom was worried that the cat was trapped under the tree. Meanwhile I was hoping that the cat had run away and would stay hidden until my dad cooled down.
Years later, my mom and I would look back on that memory and laugh. It was easier to laugh too once we bought an artificial tree that the cat couldn’t sink its claws into.
When I was eleven, my dad decided that he and I would drive down to Florida. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing and we wound up leaving on Christmas Day. Nothing was open and I remember eating a petrified ham sandwich from a gas station for lunch and then later being super happy to find a hotel Christmas buffet for dinner.
Every single one of my Christmas memories involves someone else. I think that’s key. Christmas is ultimately about family. It is about a family on the run, trying to find a place to stay when everything else was closed to them. It’s about the first child born to a young couple, a child conceived of the Holy Spirit, a child who would one day save us all.
It’s so important to remember just who was with Jesus when he was born. It wasn’t just Mary and Joseph watching over him. His first cries were heard by the shepherds and the angels, a whole heavenly host. His very first Christmas gifts were not gold, frankincense and myrrh. The very first gifts given to Jesus were people, people who loved him and cared for him and watched over him.
Remember that this Christmas. Remember the gift of people, the gift of family.
I am so blessed by the people that God has gifted to me.
