Please welcome Murray Pura.
The tree in our house goes up right after Hallowe’en on November 1st, which some Christians celebrate as All Saints Day. And because Hallowe’en really means Holy Evening, and was meant to be a night of prayer and worship in anticipation of All Saints Day, the trick or treaters who show up at our door are likely to hear the strains of ghost music – Holy Ghost Music! Because we will be playing all sorts of upbeat Christian worship music – sometimes even Handel’s Messiah – as we prepare for our two month celebration of the birth of Christ.
A culture war is going on around us. Some people want to supplant Christmas with Hallowe’en and make it the most important holiday of the year. These people are encouraging folks to string up lights, play Hallowe’en songs, exchange gifts, and tie in a big family harvest dinner with the trick and treating. Christians are fighting back but they have a problem. The spiritual heart of Christmas was stolen long ago by retail outlets that have made the Christmas season a vast commercial enterprise. On top of that, atheists have attacked Christmas, and secularists, and many that want to empty Christmas of its true meaning.
The Amish celebrate Christmas. There is a tree, some presents, some special dishes. However it really is a 1800s Christmas because the emphasis is not on gift giving but on gathering for carols, on worshipping God, on lifting up Christ, and on doing it together. It is a daylong affair of feasting and blessing and singing, not a day focused on opening presents and playing with them. They simply don’t make gift giving the most important thing and are modest about how many gifts are given and what kind they are– favorites are items made by hand, like chairs and tables or a leather bridle for a horse or a doll crafted by a doll maker who knows the girl it is being given to personally.
Perhaps that’s how Christians can give Christmas a daylong spiritual focus again – by emphasizing the personals instead of the presents – a personal gathering for food and fellowship, a modest number of personal and intimate gifts offered freely to one another, and the joyous celebration of a personal God in Jesus Christ the Lord.
About Murray Pura
Murray Pura
Murray Pura has published with Harper One San Francisco, Harper Collins/Zondervan, Baker Publishing Group, Barbour, and Harvest House Publishers, as well as Helping Hands Press, and has been a finalist for many literary awards in Canada and the USA, winning the Word Award of Toronto in 2012. Pura is a prolific writer and has produced over 25 books, including historical fiction, romance, westerns, suspense, and inspirational works.
Bestsellers include the novels The Rose of Lancaster County, A Road Called Love, The Wings of Morning, and Ashton Park, as well as the novella An Amish Family Christmas, and the short stories The Last Waltz and The Devil to Pay. He makes his home near the Waterton-Glacier Peace Park on the border between Montana and Alberta.
Two PDF copies to give away to persons commenting on the blog & selected at random by Kate Lloyd.
The PDF copies cannot be lent or borrowed but must remain with the contest winners. Thank you.
Winners may come from any country.
Love reading Amish novels, and would Love to win…. and read this book! Have never read this author, but anxious to do so! Would love to go for an AMISH buggy ride….they always have such beautiful horses!
Hi, C.J. – so nice to meet you here. I wish you all the best in your enjoyment of Amish stories.
i don’t think I could do an Amish Christmas, to be honest, but I LOVE the idea of simplifying! I NEED to simplify! It’s all about Jesus! The spirit of Christmas is found in Christmas carols love for others and loving Him! I do love Christmas!
That’s the spirit, Deb. Thanks for coming by.
I like the idea of putting up the tree early Nov. And playing Christmas songs as you answer the Halloween doorbells–great!! It would make the celebration last longer and maybe even remind me that we should be celebrating the life of Christ all year long!! Thank you for sharing.
Christ is the heart of our faith & life. Blessings & thanks for your warm words, Anne.
I enjoy just spending time with family and close friends on Christmas as we celebrate the real reason for Christmas, JESUS.
Have a very Amish Christmas everyone! 🙂
And a very merry Amish Christmas to you too, Marlene!
Would love to win I love to read Thanks
Thanks for entering, Martha & all the best with the giveaway.
Since we are elderly no one comes to our home for the holidays. We go to theirs and we go to the malls to see decorations and do not put up many of our own.
Thanks for coming by & entering, Rose. God bless.
Jesus is the reason for the season, for sure! Great post!
susanlulu@yahoo.com
What a wonderful reminder. We will be having an Amish Christmas at our home this year. Thank you.
Wonderful, Chrissi! (Or wunderbar!) Bless.
I love Murray’s writings! So want to read this one!
Nice to see you here, Sonja. God bless!
I love all things Amish! Oh to be able to live that lifestyle. I read everything I can about the Amish. We have tried to change our Christmas focus with each year – – – much less stuff and more about the people and the only reason we even have Christmas – the birth of Jesus!
Amen, Carla, thanks for posting that.
Thank you for bringing our focus to Christ. Good article and good books to read. Thank you for sharing.
Blessings, Phyllis, thank you.
thank you for your post! I have so enjoyed the books I have read! I appreciate the chance to win! I also love the cover photo!
May the Lord Bless you! Lissa
You’re so kind, Lissa. All the best with this giveaway.
I think an amish Christmas would be delightful to try.
Bless you, Shirley. Thanks.
I think an amish Christmas would be very special
Also may i wish you a terrific, God-filled day?
God bless you
Chris Granville
Hi, Chris! All the best & God’s fullness right back at you!
Many thanks to Murray Pura for being my generous guest. And thank you to all who left a comment!
My pleasure, Kate. All God’s best to you & everyone who visited your blog this week.
I would love to do a long celebration like you were talking about. Starting right after Halloween. It would give us more chances to tell about the Savior.
Love the simple way of the Amish life….love visiting them and sharing their beliefs……Christmas is celebrating the Birth of Christ….we like to bake Jesus a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday Jesus on this special day of the year……
Prefect Christmas is to relax and read a new book
Since we moved out here in Amish country 3 yrs ago we have been enjoying Christmas with the Amish. They are great neighbors to have. We help each other the way neighbors use to do.
That would actually be wonderful to do!!! I hope that I can win a copy of your wonderful book!!! God Bless You and Good Luck to Everyone!!! I have been very ill lately and I would be truly blessed to have a copy of this book to read in the hospital when I go for treatments!!! I love Amish books, they lighten my spirit and make me feel so good!!! Please keep writing!