Christmas Isn't Hallmark Movie Moments

I love me some Hallmark Movies! They are predictable, the story line is typically the EXACT SAME in EVERY movie. The houses are decorated with so much garland and Christmas decor (even in the bachelor’s house) that it looks like elves vomited glitter everywhere. Oh! And Hallmark Movies ALWAYS end with a kiss. Although, spoiler alert, they’ve been switching things up a bit. I KNOW! Exciting times! Haha!

But with all the predictability, the happy endings, and the Christmas garland, I feel it is safe to say that we all know these movies are NOT reality. What is being depicted to us through a script and staged interactions in these story lines are not real. It’s a feel good movie. A feel good moment. That’s it.

I sent my good friend this text earlier this week with an observation I had been seeing and feeling in regards to the holidays:

“It’s amazing how much the holidays bring out the brokenness we all really share. There are no perfect families. No perfect moments… Just broken people in need of a Savior.”

We would love to all experience those Hallmark Movie Moments during the holidays. Complete peace, laughter, and joy taking place. Families gathered around the piano singing carols, the children playing in their Christmas outfits NOT getting dirty, disheveled, or fighting. Just complete and utter peace.

Sadly, for the good majority of people, this isn’t reality. Not even close. But this is where the beauty of the Christmas Story comes in. And not a “Once Upon a Time” story, but a real moment in history. The beauty of Emmanuel (God with us) came as our Savior to a broken and hurting world to offer peace, joy, hope, comfort, healing, grace, and His Perfection in the midst of our imperfection.

Christmas is a beautiful season, even among the chaos and imperfections. A beautiful season to remember WHY Jesus came. It wasn’t so we could decorate a tree, hang lights on our home, sit on a fat man’s lap we call Santa, or watch Hallmark Movies. He came so that we might have freedom through Him. And that is what we cling to. That is where our joy and peace comes from. And in my opinion, that is better than any Hallmark Movie out there!