CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON -- The Moral of the Story

“God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of

Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the

righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas,

which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ.”

-- Wilda English

“That has to be one of the silliest ideas for a Christmas card that

I’ve ever heard,” a woman said to me years ago.

Actually, it was almost two decades ago. I didn’t know the woman who

made that statement, but I sure remember how startled I was when she said

it so abruptly.

I was picking up a roll of pictures I’d taken of our young daughters.

I hoped that somewhere in the package would be the perfect picture to use

for our Christmas card that year. Actually the picture didn’t have to be

perfect. I just wanted one where the girls weren’t wiggling and both were

looking at the camera.

Our daughters were 2 and 4 years old at the time, and it was a

challenge to get pictures where they both cooperated. I’m sure the

funniest picture would have been one of us parentsjumping up and down and

acting silly to get the girls to smile.

I’d started sending photo cards four years earlier, after our first

daughter was born. There are countless cards and choices now, but at the

time there weren’t many greetings to choose from to be printed under the

photo.

I think I recall the choices being “Peace on Earth,” “Joy to the

World,” “Silent Night,” “Noel” and “Merry Christmas.” I’d already used

the first two greetings for two years each and was ready to try something

new.

“Maybe I’ll choose ‘Silent Night’ this year,” I said to the man behind

the counter.

It was at that moment that the woman chimed in with her comment.

The man helping me looked surprised. I’m sure I must have looked

surprised. I looked at the picture again. I couldn’t see anything silly

about it.

All I saw were two adorable, little, barefoot girls in matching

dresses. Their hair still looked good, thanks to the haircut an hour

earlier and a little extra help from hair spray. They looked like angels

and were sweetly holding hands and holding still.

“I’m sorry, I must be missing something,” I said. “What is so silly

about the picture?”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” the woman said without hesitating. “Those

children look plenty full of life and energy, and there’s nothing

silent-looking about them. How could you possibly choose ‘Silent Night?’

Are your nights really silent?”

I didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed, mad or appreciative.I

looked at the picture again and then back at the message options.

“You do have a point,” I said to her. That’s when I opted for “Noel.”

A few years later, we started making our own Christmas cards and

writing our own messages. They’re usually about God’s love, peace or joy.

But the most important message about Christmas isn’t what is written on a

card, but what God wants to write on our hearts.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at o7

cindy@onthegrow.comf7 or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 5,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.