Sense memories are those feelings and profound sensations brought on spontaneously by the recollection of past life experiences , they might come from a place that you have visited , or a song that you heard with someone many years prior . Any smell , sound , sight , taste , or touch might bring them on . You feel like you are literally reliving that moment . For me , the sight of seeing Ralphie and his Parker family onscreen ( 1983 ’ s A Christmas Story ), window shopping at Higbee ’ s and watching the town Christmas parade does it . In a moment , I am immediately transported back to my childhood and the annual Christmas parade in my hometown . I feel that I am there because my experience was exactly like what the movie images portray . Those sensations from my childhood do not have to be conjured up because the phenomenon is an immediate reaction to what God has somehow wired up within me .
It ’ s those sense memories that got me to thinking about our 2020 Christmas season and this particular article / interview , and it ’ s those sensations that I long to experience again during this tumultuous year . So how will we approach Christmas during 2020 ? We all have special Christmas memories , but what does this year hold in store for us ? In a year of catastrophic political , social , cultural , and economic upheaval ; unprecedented wildfires , rioting , and celebrity deaths , coupled with our personal hardships and the illnesses and passing of friends and loved one ’ s due to the Covid-19 crisis , life has still not returned to what once was considered normal . We ’ ve had nine months of enduring it all ! We ’ ve sanitized our groceries and wear masks . Our church services have been impacted , our fellowship has been completely altered , our music ministry and touring plans have , for the most part , come to a screeching halt , and even the pleasures of shaking someone ’ s hand or hugging loved ones living outside our own homes have been terminated .
But the good news in all of this is that 2020 has also afforded us , perhaps for the first time , the opportunity to rethink much of what in life should
really matter to us , and how those priorities should be lived out . Our Christmas season of 2020 is an event that will definitely change . How will our Thanksgiving and Christmastide be spent ? Every year we talk about focusing on the true meaning of Christmas and not succumbing to the commercialism , hollow practices , busyness and shopping hysteria that much of our typical holiday activities and festivities engage us in . I do it , and you do it . We all do . But we now have a chance to right these things in our lives .
Somehow , I think that Christmas might hold a deeper meaning for us this year . At least I hope so . Should we actually be able to gather without fear of illness , we can finally treasure the time without distractions : A mug of hot apple cider , special holiday hors d ’ oeuvres , our favorite ugly holiday sweater , a smile from a family member or friend , food cooked with love by someone else , conversation , laughter , acknowledgement of Who we are celebrating , and the sharing of stories and music . As I write this in early
November , people in my neighborhood are already decorating their front yards for Christmas , complete with lights , snowmen , and reindeer ! The homes in my neighborhood will in fact , collectively ring bells in front yards , on Christmas Eve at 6pm , to celebrate the real reason for the season .
This year we will relish our Christmas more than ever before because our experiences this year are somewhat akin to the multiple crises in the life of George Bailey ( James Stewart ) in the movie It ’ s a Wonderful Life . Following the trauma of his own terrible year , he realized what is truly important in life , and like George , we now have that same opportunity .
Artist touring for the 2020 Christmas season is much changed . Even Keith and Kristen Getty ’ s beloved An Irish Christmas is grounded for the first time since its inception back in 2009 . Every year it ’ s a spectacular event to look forward to , but sadly , not this year . But the recently announced the Drummer Boy Drive- In Christmas Tour with For King and Country is exciting and will allow us to gather outside and distance “ socially ” at drive in movie theaters . For King and Country will be touring their new Christmas project , A Drummer Boy Christmas .
This year ’ s schedule of newly recorded holiday music has not been silenced . In fact , the offerings are prolific in number ! Despite the restrictions for our safety , the recording process has some ingenious ways . Remote home-based recording digitally aggregated through an engineer has become a norm for many releases this year , and there an impressive amount of new Christmas music for us this year . Everything from Christmas hymns , traditional carols , and Pop Christmas favorites , are all included in many styles and offerings . Worship Together has announced that they are giving away 30 free Christmas charts online ! Simple Hymns has released its Christmas collection featuring many artists . A further list of all-new Christmas music comes from Tommee Profitt ’ s Birth of a King , For King and Country , Marc Martel ( with Amy Grant ), Chris Tomlin , Phil