Boxing Day blues: finding hope when Christmas disappoints

I don’t know about you, but our family Christmas wasn’t that ‘jolly’ this year. We certainly went through the motions—we went to church on Christmas Eve; the kids woke early on Christmas Day and tipped out their ‘stockings’; once my husband and I were awake and sipping coffee, the kids distributed and opened the presents under the tree; we visited family; we ate lots of food; we even sang some Christmas carols.

But this year, Christmas was a little subdued. Our home state—indeed the whole of Australia—is still living in the shadow of the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack that killed 16 people and injured 40 at a Hannukah celebration at Bondi beach less than two weeks ago. I think we all feel heartbroken for our Jewish neighbours—and so sad that our country has let them down.

It's not just a national tragedy that can take the shine off Christmas. I know many families who had to celebrate with an empty chair at the table this year. Mothers and fathers, wives and husbands who have passed away; spouses who have moved out because of relationship breakdown.

It’s the smaller things too—the kids being disappointed with or ungrateful for their presents, family members snapping and grumbling, extended family conflicts bubbling up to the surface.

All of these things can rob us of the peace and joy that we want to feel at this special time of year.

We spend so long looking forward to Christmas—the shops get us going early with their music announcing: ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year!’; the kids count down the days on the Advent calendar, the excitement builds, they stay up late on Christmas Eve with pure anticipation of the day to come.

And then this: a day that wasn’t particularly wonderful or joyful. It can leave us wondering, ‘Is that it?! Was Christmas really worth the wait?’.

The day after the terrorist attack, many people lit a candle in their window to represent the candles of Hannukah, the ‘festival of lights’. One little flame flickering in a world that felt so very dark. It was a meaningful symbol of solidarity and hope, and yet it seemed so small and feeble.

The first Christmas: Is that it!?

I can imagine that many people were underwhelmed by the first Christmas too. When they looked at the small, feeble baby lying in a feeding trough, those who were there might have been wondering, ‘Is that it?!’.

God’s people had been waiting not just for a month or a year, but for over 50 generations for God’s promised Saviour to arrive. Ever since God had promised that a descendant of Eve would crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). With each new generation, God’s people wondered, ‘Is this the one who will crush sin and death and make things right?’.

Then finally, he came. Not in a palace with trumpets and fanfare, but in a small-town stable surrounded by his poor, unmarried parents and a bunch of local shepherds. His birth was announced to some people by glorious angels, to others by signs in the stars. But not even King Herod knew about Jesus’ birth until the wise men came knocking some time later.

Baby Jesus was one little flame flickering in a world that was so very dark.

The little baby grew up

Christians need to remember—and tell our children—that the baby Jesus didn’t stay a baby. He grew up to become a man ‘powerful in word and deed’ (Luke 24:19). Jesus began to reveal that he had come to earth with the full authority of God, his Father, the Creator of heaven and earth.

Jesus called people to follow him—and they did. Jesus commanded the wind and the waves—and they obeyed. Jesus ordered evil spirits to leave—and they did. One day, Jesus even called a dead man, his friend Lazarus, out of the grave—and he came.

Everywhere Jesus went, darkness was pushed back and overthrown.  ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (John 1:5) After miraculously restoring sight to a man born blind, Jesus said:

‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ (John 8:12)

Not long after this, Jesus himself attended a Hannukah celebration. Jesus explained that he was no ordinary man—he was in fact the Son of God who had authority to give life.

‘The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me … My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’ (John 10:25–30)

In a world that was as dark as ours, Jesus called people to follow his light—the true light that comes from God and gives eternal life. And as more and more people followed Jesus, his one little flame began to spread. His humble, underwhelming arrival was only the beginning.

Not everyone was happy about this though. Eventually, the religious leaders tried to snuff out Jesus’ light. They had him arrested, falsely accused and sentenced to death. The Romans put him on a cross to die.

But this was no accident. Jesus had said from the beginning that God’s Messiah would have to suffer and die. He said, ‘The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep’ (John 10:11). Jesus allowed himself to be overcome by the darkness for us.

Yet three days later, God raised Jesus to life again. The light of life was reignited, this time never to be extinguished again. With Jesus’ resurrection, a new era for humanity had dawned.

The man will return in glory

This is our Lord Jesus—our Good Shepherd and the Light of the World, who died in our place. If we follow him, no-one can snatch us out of his hand; nothing can separate us from his love—not even death. We can echo the words of David:

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4)

For now, we cannot see Jesus with our eyes, but only with the eyes of faith. But one day, every eye will see him. The one who arrived quietly as a tiny baby will return with glory and angelic fanfare. He will come as King to bring the refining fire of God’s righteous judgement. All the evil and injustice in the world, every act of violence and terror will be punished. And only those who have taken refuge in Jesus, God’s Messiah, will be saved.

So what is there to look forward to on Boxing Day, when Christmas hasn’t brought the joy and peace we hoped for? Nothing less than the triumphant second coming of Jesus, when the darkness of sin and death will be banished forever.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:6–9)

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Harriet Connor is the Content Editor for Growing Faith and the editor of Parenting in God's Family: Biblical Wisdom for Everyday Issues. She is the author of Families in God's Plan: 12 Foundational Bible Studies (Youthworks Media, 2021) and Big Picture Parents: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life (Wipf and Stock, 2017). She lives on the Central Coast of NSW with her husband and four sons.

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