Why Celebrate Christmas at Disney World

It can be hard for some folks to imagine one good reason to celebrate Christmas at Disney World. For others however, like my members of my family, it seems not only not such a bad idea but actually wonderful timing all around. And yes, they are Christians and they worship regularly and I think well, still they find little difficulty in explaining to anyone who asks why they will gladly celebrate Christmas at Disney World.

When you line up the two concepts "Christmas" and "Disney World" they can either seem totally in opposition to one another or more like members of the same family depending on your perspective. For some Christians, Christmas Day is a very important religious feast. In Catholic Churches, Christmas is considered a Holy Day of Obligation that requires mass attendance. Catholics, many who miss mass with little show of concern on Sunday after Sunday, are quite resolute in their efforts to attend mass on Christmas Eve or Day.

Other Christian denominations have their own ways of celebrating the birth of Christ but all mark the December event as a high point on their Church calendar. Many Christian communities encourage members to spend time with their families but to keep in mind the needs of the poor and make Christmas season a time to reach out to others with the love of Christ so that all might join in the celebration of Jesus' birth. Some help out serving meals in soup kitchens, sing Christmas Carols at Nursing Homes or deliver Christmas gifts to needy families in their community before returning to settle in to Christmas Day at home with family.

To many of these Christian believers Mickey Mouse does not belong plunked in the middle of Jesus birthday, end of story. It is a confusion of concepts that is just unacceptable and unpalatable for many Christians. From this viewpoint gathering in large crowds to watch fireworks, enjoy Disney Character parades and spend exploring the Magic Kingdom is about as close to sacrilege as one can come. Some would go so far as to say that going to Disney World for Christmas is in essence taking the Christ out of Christmas.

But there is another side. For those who pack up during the last week of advent, pass on setting up the family Christmas tree and pack away the family creche well before December 25, it is possible to take two apparently divergent events, Christmas and visiting Disney World and put them together with no spiritual damage and possibly even some spiritual advantage coming out of the combination.

After all Disney World is, for all its fantasy, not on another planet. It is, don't you know, located in the state of Florida, which, last time a check was made, still had many, many churches that in fact do not close on Christmas Day to observe the proximity of Disney World. Floridians of all denominations do regularly celebrate the birth of Christ just as Christians do in the other 49 states and all over the world. So families who have decided to visit Disney World at Christmas time in effect do not have to make a choice between celebrating the birth of Jesus or celebrating with Mickey Mouse. Any Christian visiting in Orlando at Christmas can with very little effort find a place to worship appropriately .

In fact it turns out that Mickey is happy to help you celebrate Christmas according to your faith. According to Walt Disney World information, in 2009 there were two scheduled Catholic masses and a Protestant service conducted at the Contemporary Hotel right on Disney property. If you feel the need for some separation for spiritual reasons the Disney Information is at the ready to give you lots of info about area services that suit your purposes.

While many Christian families who come to Disney World at Christmas time do so because it is vacation time for school kids and lots of workers, they don't just decide to go and leave a spiritual Christmas behind. Instead what they know before they leave home or recognize along the way is that there really doesn't need to be a lot of difference between celebrating Christmas at home or at Disney World. At either location Christmas is a day for joy. Is it really so different to give your kids every conceivable toy you can imagine at home or give them a trip to Disney World? You may not see them open all the packages if you choose Disney, but count on seeing real joy in their eyes and real love abound in your family. And just as you would remind them of how very fortunate they are and how blessed your family is as you gather for Christmas dinner at home, you can honestly accomplish the very same goals wherever you eat your Christmas meal at Disney World.

When people ask why Celebrate Christmas at Disney World, I guess I can answer with the rest of my family. Why not? All the elements for a wonderful, joy filled Christmas are not locked in to a single location or a single custom. Christmas is a spiritual experience not bound by geography or the walls of your home. You really can celebrate Christmas at Disney World, you just have to know how.

Sources:

www.wdwinfo.com