The Spirit

What makes us feel the Christmas spirit? Most people would not argue that Christmas is a special time of the year. It makes many more charitable, many more cheerful, many more social. The list can go on. I suppose that one could argue that these feelings have a completely natural cause. The increase in endorphines in the brain is a result of childhood experiences during Christmas, a result of receiving presents, or being surrounded by family, or seeing Christmas lights plastered all over town. I suppose one could say that only our experience with Christmas leads us to have an enhanced sense of citizenship this time of year.
But Christmas spirit was documented long before gifts were exchanged or lights were hung as part of its celebration. One could argue that so was a natural need to celebrate and be cheerful in the month of December. In Roman times they celebrated the festival of Saturnalia. This was a festival that lasted up to 7 days (Dec 17 -24) and marked a time of relaxed formal rules and even public nudity. There was even records of children being given presents.
A naturalist could argue that our ancestors need to celebrate during December came from a lack of work needing to be done since harvest is now over and that lack of work during winter months gave rise to cheerful mood in December. Of course, today most of us work just as much in December (most even more) as other months.
Personally I think if you remove all of it. All the presents, all the lights, all the commercial additives. I think if the Grinch actually came and removed it all from us. We would stand with the Who's singing Daaaahooooo Dooooreeeesss (or whatever they say). If you can Imagine what it must have been like being one of the wise men and standing over Jesus as he lay. Then you understand why Christmas spirit takes over our emotions during the celebration of the saviors birth. I believe that Christmas spirit has supernatural cause. That same tingling feeling I get come December, I get when I hear Jesus's words. Of course you can say its just because the same parts of my brain are effected, the same endorphines are released and whatever other scientific explanation there is. I am a scientist at heart (not brain) and marvel at what science accomplishes. I guess its when you step back at realize what a miracle the laws of physics are, and how amazing biology is, and what beautiful puzzle quantum mechanics is. That you can accept that all of it is supernatural.
Most probably think the previous statement is absurd, but just imagine a universe where gravity has 7/8 the force that it does have. Everything in our universe would change and life would have never happened. Change any law or rule of nature by just the slightest bit and you get the same result. So no matter how natural you make it, its still supernatural. As long as that is an absolute truth (and it is to me), then why couldn't God have sent his only son for me. This is why the spirit fills you during Christmas. If you dismiss it as nothing , just natural causes, then you missed it. Your looking for proof? What would that proof be? If you did see an amputee grow back his leg, you would marvel at the wonder of evolutions ability. You would look to see how man adapted the same ability as a star fish. The proof is already there - Its all a miracle! You just choose to ignore it.

Christmas Challenge

I really want to challenge anyone who reads this blog to do one thing this Christmas.

Try and do one significant good deed or generous act for someone.

Now here is the hard part. Do it without anyone knowing. Not your wife or husband, not even your dog. No one can even have a hunch. This may sound simple, but I think you'll see that our human nature makes it more difficult than may seem.
Kind of like when I tip the girl at Dunkin Dounuts, I always make sure I do it when she's looking. You know,.... Other wise it feels just like a wasted tip. So am I tipping because I am generous or because I want the credit of giving, so perhaps next time I will get even better service or some kind of recognition? The latter is true, I am sorry to say. Yep, when I drop my change into the cup on the counter, I make sure I hold my hand up high enough so that the change makes plenty of noise falling into the cup. He is a little hint, nickels are louder then dimes and sound almost like quarters. Just don't ask for your change back in nickels because she'll know.

So lets try and make our own "Pay it Forward", except noones gonna actually pay it forward because they are not going to know who actually did the nice thing for them, or even if anyone did. Perhaps they will think that they left that 20 dollar bill in their own pocket (you know, the one your gonna sneak in there without letting anyone know).
And if you come back and here and post what you did then it doesn't count, I mean it! After all its not your birthday were celebrating on the 25th. Lets give him a birthday present by giving him what he actually asked us for. By just being generous your only giving him half of what he asked for. I know that I don't want just half of an XBOX 360 this year. I want the whole enchilada!