Many reasons have been suggested as to why Christmas Creep takes place.  The primary one is financial, as retailers want the profitable Christmas season to last as long as possible.  Others suggest that it's quite simple: a lot of people just like Christmas.  The lights, the trees, the decorations; it’s all good stuff, and we want it to last.  One of the unintended consequences of Christmas Creep, however, is that our senses can be dulled to the meaning of Christmas.  It’s easy to lose sight of why Christmas is significant in the midst of the continuous onslaught on advertising, music, and shopping that Christmas Creep extends.

It is my hope that our recent consideration of the Soundtrack of Advent has helped remind you of Who it is that we're really waiting for.  I hope that your attention has been drawn away from the worldly values of the season and towards the eternal value of the Savior whose birth we celebrate.  Now that Christmas is finally arriving, let me offer you two more opportunities to orient your thoughts around Jesus as we conclude our series A Theology of Carols: Examining the Songs of Christmas.