A Different Kind of Christmas

Today’s post is in response to a weekly event at The Broken Spine called Wednesday’s Lyrics.

The idea is to post song lyrics to a song that has inspired or moved you. As well as a brief reason why you chose your particular song.

My mom passed away October 28th of this year, just in time for my family to celebrate 4 birthdays in November (one of which was hers), Thanksgiving and Christmas…not to mention ringing in a New Year and then 2 more birthdays in January and 1 in April. All the celebrations that Mom made special for our family…that have already proved to be much less special without her. And although the memories will keep us going…these first celebrations are not all that celebratory this year.

We survived the round of November birthday that were definitely much less happy. Thanksgiving was spent being grateful for our many blessings but decidedly not happy. And here we are already in the second week of December with the apprehensive anticipation of a Christmas without Mom. Christmas will be different this year, I can feel it already as I try to scrape together some holiday cheer and festiveness that seems to be buried deep this year.

I heard this song on the radio in my car today and the words immediately struck a chord with me and brought me to tears, as I fear this will be a Different Kind of Christmas this year.

Different Kind of Christmas by Mark Schultz

Snow is falling Christmas Eve
Lights are coming on up and down the street
The sound of carols fills the air
And people rushing home, families everywhere

Putting candles in the windows
Lights upon the tree
But there’s no laughter in this house
Not like there used to be
There’s just a million little memories
That remind me you’re not here
It’s just a different kind of Christmas this year

In the evening fires glow
Dancing underneath the mistletoe
A letter left from Santa Claus
Won’t be the same this year in this house because

There’s one less place set at the table
One less gift under the tree
And a brand new way to take their place inside of me
I’m unwrapping all these memories
Fighting back the tears
It’s just a different kind of Christmas this year

There’s voices in the driveway
Families right outside the door
And we’ll try to make this Christmas like the ones we’ve had before
As we gather round the table, I see joy on every face
And I realize what’s still alive is the legacy you made

It’s time to put the candles in the windows, the lights upon the tree
It’s time to fill this house with laughter like it used to be
Just because you’re up in heaven, doesn’t mean you’re not near
It’s just a different kind of Christmas
It’s just a different kind of Christmas this year