Chris Howlett

Post-Christmas Blues?

According to Psychology Today, it is "entirely normal to feel a sense of sadness" after Christmas. They suggest that one way to cope with post-holiday blues is to realize that others feel the same way. Indeed, as the saying goes, "Misery loves company."

However, for Christians, Christmas is not yet over. According to the Church Calendar, Christmas is not just a single day, but a twelve-day season known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. During this time, we celebrate the birth of Christ and the miraculous event of the Incarnation. And after the twelve days, we have another holiday called Epiphany, where we commemorate the visit of the Magi and the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.

So, on this Third Day of Christmas, let us rejoice! Christ the Lord is born! There is still more celebration, more Christmas music to enjoy, and more Christmas happiness to share.

Contagious Joy

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” – Henri Nouwen

According to C.S. Lewis, both good and bad things can be contagious. Just like standing near a fire makes you warm and getting into water makes you wet, if you want to experience joy, power, peace, and eternal life, you need to be close to or even immersed in the source of these qualities. They are not simply prizes God distributes to anyone; rather, they are the fundamental forces of energy and beauty that exist at the core of reality. If you are near this source, you will be touched by its influence, but if you are distant, you will remain unaffected.

Choosing joy means choosing to be with Jesus, the source of all joy. This is what we celebrate at Christmas, the gift of God’s Son, our Savior and Lord. It’s in and through a relationship with him that joy is encountered. I hope this season you will evaluate in what you’re immersed and turn your heart to the Christ of Joy.