Back when I was growing up, during my elementary years, I had a favorite Christmas Carol. I liked it so much that I couldn’t wait to hear it played on the radio stations. From Thanksgiving through Christmas I would scan the dial searching for it. In 1958 when it was first aired it reached #1 on the Billboard Music Chart. It was the last time a Christmas song would do that. Maybe it was one of your favorites as well, because it’s still a classic today. I still hear it played from time to time during the holiday season.

    Have you figured out the name to this song yet? I wanted to hear it so much that my Grandma bought the Christmas Album a few years later, so I could play it whenever I wanted. Like on a dreary, rainy, summer day.

    So, what was this chart topping song of over 50 years ago? It was “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” by Alvin and the Chipmunks. Okay, I will now admit that it pales in comparison to the true Christmas Carol classic’s like “Silent Night”, “What Child Is This”, or O Holy Night”. At the same time, it far out ranks “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”.

    Actually, it was the theme and words that hit home for me back in those early years. Do you recall the words? I’ll bet, for some of you, the words have been rolling around your head ever since I mentioned song.

    It’s a simple tune with simple and short lyrics:

    Christmas, Christmas time is near 
    Time for toys and time for cheer 
    We’ve been good, but we can’t last 
    Hurry Christmas, hurry fast 
      
    Want a plane that loops the loop 
    Me, I want a hula hoop 
    We can hardly stand the wait 
    Please Christmas, don’t be late.     

    It’s a song that speaks of an eager childlike anticipation about the arrival of Christmas. “Hurry Christmas, hurry fast!” “We can hardly stand to wait, please Christmas don’t be late.”

    When was the last time you felt like that about the coming Christmas Season? When was the last time your anticipation out weighed your anxiety and frustration for a time of years that demands so much of your time and energy. The shopping for gifts, the decorating of home, the cooking and baking, sending Christmas cards, the parties, and the traveling, all rolled up in a few short weeks.

    When was the last time you longed for the Messiah to come into your life? The Old Testament shares over and over again about the people of God longing and waiting for such a time. We sing about it during Advent with such hymns as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.” or “Come, O Long-expected Jesus, born to set your people free… dear desire of many a nation, joy of many a longing heart.”

    While some people say that they can’t wait for Christmas to be over, what about you? What are you anticipating during this Holy Season of Advent and Christmas? Will you be caught up in the commercialism and busyness, or maybe this is the year that you strive to focus on the real purpose of these sacred days of preparation for receiving and celebrating the coming of Christ in the world, and into our lives.

    May you be open to the leading of God’s Spirit in reading the scriptures and other resources like our Advent Booklet, to be aware of those less fortunate then yourself, to seek out those who may be alone or just lonely.

    If we truly share the Spirit of Christmas, then it won’t be late, it will be just in time.