It's tough when you were born on Christmas Day . . .

So how did Jesus celebrate Christmas?

Or I suppose another way to put it, how did Jesus and his friends celebrate his birthday?

What do you get for the guy who has nothing, but lives like he has everything?  And forget about a surprise party.

I suppose cloaks and shirts were a popular gift for Jesus, even though everyone knew he would just re-gift them. Somehow he made that tacky practice holy.

Socks were out. I'm sorry, but, if you ask what would Jesus do, I don't think the answer would be wear socks with sandals. Pretty sure that's where the phrase "bare your sole" comes from. Jesus probably said it at a birthday gathering.

Birthdays are tough on us mortals. Rather than celebrate the life and graces we have been given, we often focus on the failures, of dreams not realized, goals not reached, opportunities missed.  After awhile we dwell not on the number of years we have lived, but on the dwindling number of years we have left.

While I do not know, I do believe that most days with Jesus were not quite as serious as we have been led to believe. It would be like a three year camping trip with the Men's Group from any church.  (United Methodist Men in my case).  Not exactly a monastic experience.

Wouldn't it be great to be Jesus, the Son of God?  Everything perfect. Every year a celebration. Joy to the World?  A Wonderful Life?  Happy, Happy, Happy .  .  . Birthday.

The Jesus whose birth we celebrate was born in a cave, the home of animals.  Before he could walk without wobbling the most powerful man in his world tried everything he could to kill him. His family was on the run.  As he grew older He probably heard the whispers of the people of the town as they counted back from the day of his birth to his parents' marriage date. He and most of his community lived in poverty and fear of cruel Roman oppression.  Jesus had little material security.  He had come to this world, divesting himself of the amenities of Godly omnipotence and those other omni's, to lead creation back from destruction.  As he did so he was hunted and threatened, criticized, ostracized, and misunderstood.  The world was not being saved. Even his disciples were arguing about power. Humanity was still inhumane, the hungry were starving, the sick were dying, the outcast were alone, and the imprisoned were shackled.

It was that way when Jesus was born.  And when he died. And every birthday in between.

And yet, I am sure, if birthdays were celebrated back in Jesus' day, that the disciples gathered, grilling fish, Martha made a wonderful cake, and Mary doted on Jesus,offering a gift of expensive oil that he loved but would never buy for himself.. . Jesus probably blushed at all the attention and the singing, and graciously accepted the gifts offered, not for the sake of the gift, but for the sake of the givers. Close friends lingered at the party and drank a little more wine.  And in the midst of his friends, Jesus' mind was probably turned more on the blessings of the present, if not the presents, as opposed to the hard scrabble past and the unfolding horrific future that only he was beginning to sense. (My theology. Feel free to disagree).

Our celebration of Jesus' birthday is not so different. In the midst of the happiness and joy there is always the other side.  It seems the woes of the world are highlighted against the backdrop of our celebrations. The contrast is troubling.

And so Jesus life was not simple. Joy and pain. Celebration and grief. Progress and frustration. Love and hate. .

Kind of like us.  Life is not simple. But there is time for joy in the midst of the turmoil. There is hope alongside despair.

And thankfully, there is a  light in the darkness.

As we begin this Advent season, what birthday gift can we bring?

It's seems complicated.

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