I haven’t been shopping for Christmas yet. Maybe that makes me a Scrooge. But maybe it keeps me sane. The older I get, the less interested I am in celebrating the birth of my Savior by gathering up a bunch of gadgets and giving them to people who struggle to manage all the gadgets they already have.
But this post isn’t about me. It’s about Santa Claus. Sort of.
We have never made a big deal of Santa at our home. Yes, he “came,” but he only ever brought one gift per child. Don’t get me wrong — our kids had plenty for Christmas — but maybe the petty part of me didn’t want Santa to get all the credit.
I’ve written about this before, but I every year at this time, I think again about the weird Santa-conomy in our society: Everything revolves around getting stuff, and teaches that “he knows if you’ve been bad or good,” and that he’ll come to your home on one condition — IF you’ve been good. Therefore, when parents have little or no resources to buy gifts for Christmas, the logical conclusion is not “Mommy doesn’t have much money,” (since Mommy isn’t bringing the presents) but “I’m no good.”
We have become adept at defacing true and wondrous beauty — the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, in this case — twisting, subverting and complicating it to the point where no one recognizes the real thing any more.
And while we’re on this topic, I have to add my two cents about the Easter Bunny. While I get the correlation between giving gifts and the birth of Christ, I just can’t do the same for His resurrection. And so the Easter bunny has never been part of our family traditions. My kids complained about the awkward moments when their friends would ask, “What did you get for Easter?” I told them, “Just say, ‘I got redemption.” They would roll their eyes then and claim they’d be scarred for life.
These random thoughts were all floating around in my head in the middle of the night, as I thought of all the dichotomies of Christmas:
Christ was born in the most simple and humble of circumstances, but the world commemorates His birth in the most complicated way imaginable. He gave us all of the greatest gifts of Heaven and earth, but the world buys up gifts of no worth. He gives to all freely, and forbids none to come unto Him, but the world celebrates a Christmas that is only for those with money to spend.
Our Santa-conomy encourages us to buy the perfect gifts, put up the perfect decorations, make the perfect food — and we plan for that perfect Christmas, year after year. But without the enduring light of Christ, our Christmas is incomplete, inconsequential, and distracting.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this.
Shawna
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I’m trying to spend time fasting and praying for a family in our community that is being drawn by Christ but they are not responding. I want God to keep working and eyes from me to see when to speak.
I draw closer to Christ through study of His word and prayer. One of my biggest joys is sharing my faith with others at my college. Sharing Jesus and His eminent return with others strengthens my faith and encourages me in my walk with God.
me and my sisters always spend a lot of time with listening to music or playing some for ourselves…:) this year we´d like to sing ´do you have room` to our friends and our family because lot of them aren´t christians yet… if you could send us the sheets for a choir..:)
this time we´re praying for a small youth group in our school, we read the bible together and discuss what we read…but it´s always yuite difficult cuz there are very few christians in our group…
I have so many precious memories of Christmas..many with my own children…but one that I cherish is when my 3 sisters and I woke up very early one Christmas morning and sat on the staircase to see the tree and all the wonderful things we now know our parents sacrificed to give to us. I still hear my older sister telling us to shush..so we wouldn’t wake up our Daddy and Mother..we were so blessed…two have us have already gone to be with Jesus..so this is just a very precious memory to me…
I have wanted to do a new tradition every year around Christmas time. So I started this in 2011. I prayed about what item I could make for my family that was homemade and was about the Savior. So I came up with the idea to make walling hangings and have four different picitures of the Savior in this Quilt Hanging. My husband I started October 1st 2011 and did not complete the 25 wall hangings until Dec 15th. It was so awesome because the whole time we were making them we thought about the Savior and what the true meaning of Christmas is. My husband cut out the fabric, ironed and pinned and i did the sewing. The end of last year I thought about what I was going to do the next year. We made table runners that had the Savior in a manger and Mary and Joseph around the manger. It didn’t take us long this year to make them but still focused on the Savior. So now I get inspirations of what I can do for the next years to make our families for Christmas. I would love to have a copy of your sheet music for the song DO YOU HAVE ROOM. It is an amazing song and we would like to sing this song as a group in Sacrament Meeting. What a glorious song to sing about the Savior this time of year. Thank you for being so talented and for sharing your beautiful song. Sincerely Shirley Johnston
I found this song on the internet while searching for names of Christmas songs I have heard on the Spirit 105.9 played after Thanksgiving. I decided to post a Christian “Christmas Song of the Day” on facebook everyday from December 1st through Dec 25th. I saw songs that sounded like the type of songs I want to post and came across this song; it is beautiful! It was the first time I’ve ever heard it so I am going to request Spirit 105.9 play it. They may have and I was not listening at that time.
It will be one of my Christmas Songs of the Day. Thank you for sharing!
Every year as Christmas starts coming around I start dreading the season. I dread the gimmies that everyone seems to get. I dread shopping for more “stuff” that no one really “needs”. what I love is being able to bring a smile to someone’s face.. to lighten the load on a person’s shoulders, to spend time with people who appreciate just time. I learned through some personal experiences that “true charity” is giving of one’s self and time. Time is such a precious commodity in today’s world. It’s too easy to write out a check for a charity. So to me the question “do you have room” also means sharing of oneself, one’s time, one’s heart. Thank you for sharing your beautiful talent.
This is such a beautiful song. Thank you sooooo much for sharing your talents with us. Keep composing. You have a rare gift.
This is a beautiful song and has prompted me to ponder anew the room I am making for Jesus in my life. My favorite Christmas memories are of gathering together with family and attending Christmas Eve service together. My daughter would like to sing this song at our Christmas Eve Service. The words would touch many lives in our congregation. Thank you for sharing this music. It is greatly appreciated.
I would like an accompianment track please.
I love to worship the Lord thru music. Tje Holy Sirit can convict, challenge, encourage and strengthen us thru music. We can honor and give Him the praise onlyHe is worthy of. A few years ago I heard the song about the shepherd in a nativity scene wanting to be moved closer to the Christ child. That song made me more aware that I must move closer, He doesn’t mo e. Your song ask the question – Is there room, have I cluttered up Christmas with the world’s ideas and calls me to once again make a choice to make Jesus
ALL I need, Christmas and always.
I would llike to sing your song, please send a accompanemt track. What a beautiful song asking the most important question one can ask and answer!
Hi Denise,
I tried to send you an email message about getting the accompaniment track, but the email you entered is incorrect. If you will, please post another comment with a correct email. No one will see the email but me.
Thanks!
I make this season ALL about JESUS! In all our family does, we bake cookies for those who are less fortunate, we sacrifice our time in serving the community, we make ornaments for others, we donate toys, etc. Happy Birthday Jesus! We Celebrate YOU!
My favorite Christmas memory includes one where some unknown people brought Christmas cheer to my family. My father died a week before Christmas leaving my young brother, mom and I heartbroken and poor trying to pay for the funeral. Some people heard about our situation and brought a car load of gifts and food to make our Christmas very special.
If possible could you email me the sheet music to the song “Do you have room” this is a beautiful song and I would like to share it at our church Christmas service. Thank you
I recently heard April sing “Do you have room?” at a fireside. It really touched my heart and is one I would like to eventually add to my music collection. I have been trying to be more diligent in my calling, my scripture reading, and prayers. I have felt a difference this season particularly as it seems like the world around us gets more wicked.
“Do You Have Room,” is a beautiful song. It brought tears to my ears the first time I heard. I’d love to sing it for my church members. They would get a blessing from the message about Christmas.
One of my favourite Christmas memories is singing ‘Mary did you know’ whilst 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby boy & just imagining how much more special & incredibly scary it must have all been for Mary to bear the holy child of God! Incredible! I would love a copy of the sheet music for ‘Do you have room’ if that’s possible. Thank you.
As a family, we would come down on Christmas morning and before doing anything else read the account in Luke of the birth of Christ. We would then pray individually thanking God for the gift of His Son that first Christmas morn. Though the kids are grown now and have families of their own, my wife and I still come downstairs and read from Luke and pray together, thanking God for His indescribable gift.
This is absolutely beautiful. Looking forward to playing. Pastor’s wife brought this song to my attention and she wants to sing it. I’m so exxited. GOD is so good. Thank you
Your song is so beautiful. My sister plays piano at her church and would like a copy of your song. God bless
This song has truly touched my heart each Christmas time. I would love the opportunity to sing it with my siblings in the SATB version before our brothers leave on a mission.
Favorite Christmas Memory:
Every year our mom makes us each a pair of PJ’s so that we can all match on Christmas morning. It’s fun each year to race to get them done seeing as how we don’t start making them till around noon each Christmas Eve. It’s a little funny and strange, but it’s been a fun time that we have spent together each year!
My favorite Christmas memories are of having dinner with my grandparents, and opening gifts by the fireplace in their garage. Cousins screaming and laughing and riding new scooters in circles, cheesecake, coffee, and love make for a perfect holiday. I recently heard your beautiful song “Do You Have Room?” and my friends and I are planning on singing it at our church’s Christmas service. We would love to have a copy of the sheet music so we have a shot at doing it justice
. Thanks so much!
Emily
I really enjoy hearing the song “, Do You Have Room.” I would really appreciate it if you could send me the sheet music or guitar tab if you have that. I actively serve The Lord by playing guitar at the church that I attend and my girlfriend loves this song as well, and we both wanted the sheet music so we could share this song with those in our community. This song is truely a blessing.
This has become my favorite Christmas Song. The words by Neal Maxwell “Each of us is an Innkeepewr who decides if there is room for Jesus.” should make us all want to be better in making room for the Savior in our own lives.
Thank you for that beautiful music. My son is preparing to go on a mission and I would love for him to listen to this song. I can’t get enough of it. Thanks again for reminding us all to always have room for Christ in our lives.
I heard this at a YSA Christmas devotional and it really touched me, I try to draw closer to Christ and make room for him by trying my best to follow his example and doing all I can and attending everything I can. I felt the spirit while listening to this and would love to pass this feeling on by learning to play it so if I could have a copy of the sheet music that would be lovely thanks.
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for your beautiful message.
Thanks for your message. I don’t give “Do You Have Room” away any more, because I’m told that will damage the copyright. You may purchase a copy of the sheet music for $1.99 by going to shawnaedwards.com/music.
If you have trouble purchasing the music, please let me know, and I will help you get it another way.
All the best,
Shawna