Come Home for Christmas ~ Advent with Janyre Tromp

Erica here. I am SO very excited to have my friend, fellow author, and editor as a guest on Seekerville today! Janyre Tromp is a multi-talented lady, writing historical fiction, AND acquiring fiction and non-fiction for Kregel Publications.

You're in for a treat today!

Hi there, Seekerville. It’s an honor to join you all for Christmas memories! Despite the frigid temperatures here in Michigan, December has always been one of my favorite times of the year.

I’m fairly certain loving Christmas is in my DNA. It’s a fact proven by how much my kids love Christmas. Every year we host cookie decorating parties, wear matching Christmas pajamas (even my teen!), sled the hill on the side of our house, drink gallons of hot chocolate, and laugh at all the wonderful (and terrible) Christmas movies.

When my daughter was a blonde-haired, two-year-old cherub (who hit the terrible at three), her favorite December activity was to touch the “magic” snowflake and turn on the Christmas tree. Every morning she’d wake up, toddle down the steps, and light the world with wonder. And every night she’d touch the snowflake and “tuck” the tree in before she’d snuggle into her own bed. It was as adorable as it sounds.

That Christmas Eve, my husband and I pulled out all the presents I’d wrapped, and we stacked them carefully around the tree. It would be the first Christmas our daughter would remember. I think we were as excited for Christmas as any kid on the street. We were sure our girl would love the presents sparkling under the lights.

The next morning, I was around the corner from the tree, making traditional Christmas donuts when I heard my girl toddle down the steps.

I couldn’t wait to see her face light up when she saw the presents, so I turned, fingers dripping in icing.

Instead of excitement, my girl burst into tears, wailing, “All those things are in my way!”

I couldn’t help laughing, and my husband said, “That’ll be the last time she ever says that.”

He was right of course, but one fact from that day stands out for me:

All the presents were in the way of her Christmas.

And boy does that ever hit home . . . this year especially. A few months ago, my hubby started his own consulting company, and I have to admit that, while it’s nice to have him home more, the Christmas budget has me nervous. I have a list and I’m checking it twice. And it doesn’t matter who’s naughty or nice, there’s just not the same amount to go around.

 

And I’m struggling with that. Part of the Christmastime fun is finding the perfect present and seeing the laughter and joy it brings. But Christmas isn’t about me giving gifts. It’s about the one true gift. The gift of a holy God stretching down to us and extending his forgiveness and inviting us into his family. And somehow all the sparkly holiday things tend to get in the way of the real Christmas.

I’m not sure how we’ll celebrate Christmas this year. Things are still a little up in the air. But I’ve already pulled out the nativity scene my mom painted on a simple rock and it’s sitting on my mantle as a reminder of the one real gift of Christmas.

I think we’ll keep the cookie decorating and game playing and I’ll still make the traditional Christmas morning donuts, but maybe there will be a little less of everything else. And who knows? Maybe without all the presents we’ll find the best Christmas we’ve ever had.

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” ~2 Corinthians 9:15

And since I’m thinking about the real meaning of Christmas, I might need some new traditions that help keep my family focused. What are some of the things you do every year that help you remember what Christmas is all about?

Janyre Tromp is a traditionally published author/photographer and book editor who has worked in the book industry for more than twenty years. She writes about the beauty of people and the world—past and present—even when it isn’t pretty. You can sign up for her quarterly newsletter here for updates, freebies, tips and more; or join her writing and editing discussions on Twitter and Facebook.



And just for reading this far, you can pop over here and download an original Christmas coloring page designed and drawn by Janyre herself.

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