Christmas?

"I love Christmas!" ... "I hate Christmas..."

Two different people talking? No? One person with a bit of a split-personality problem? No? Someone who delights in making contradictory statements, then? No? How can both be true?

If you are a kindred spirit you will know all too well. Let me give just two or three examples of how both statements can easily be true.

1. You love Christmas, but the events of life have left some bitter memories and/or regrets at this time of the year.

2. You love Christmas, but you are a perfectionist, or are overly-sentimental (or both!), with the result that Christmas always fails to live up to your expectations.

3. You love Christmas, but you are a committed Christian who 'wrestles' with maintaining an appropriate balance between enjoying the 'worldly' and remembering the 'spiritual'.

Of course, if more than one of the above applies to you, you will certainly know what I mean.