When my Wife and I approached the entrance to Macy’s, in making our first visit to the local mall for the 2013 Christmas-shopping season, something seemed to be missing. As we got closer, I recognized what it was. A Salvation Army Volunteer was present, along with his kettle for donations, but there was no sound of bell-ringing. With our arrival, the volunteer opened a door, wished us a Merry Christmas and offered an apology, saying, “I’m sorry there’s no ringing, someone stole my bell.” With that, I shook my head and said, “Someone stole your bell?!” and I thought, “What has become of the Christmas spirit?!”
Upon completion of that Christmas-shopping outing, we found ourselves at that same Macy’s doorway. But now, as we neared that exit, we could hear the distinctive sound of a bell ringing. As we stepped outside, I looked at the Salvation Army Volunteer and said, “Great! I see you got your bell back.” His reply was, “No, another shopper went in and bought this for me.” To that, I said, “No kidding?! That’s wonderful!” and I thought, “There it is, there’s the Christmas spirit!”
What a heart warming experience that was?! As we drove home, though, I found that my happiness over the bell-ringer event was becoming mixed with feelings of guilt, as I considered, “Where was the Christmas spirit in me? Why hadn’t I thought to get a replacement for the Salvation Army Volunteer’s stolen bell?” In order to answer these questions, I realized that I needed to reexamine the question, “What is the Christmas spirit?” Continue reading
