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TheDiscipleMD

They come out in hordes during the month of December. They are found in almost all the homes in America. And while the “big man in red,” Santa Claus, gets all the praise and recognition this coming week, we all know it is all the “ladies in Christmas red” who really deserve the credit for making the 25th, the most wonderful day of the year. That certainly was the case in my home, not only as a child, but also as a grown adult. Some credit of course goes to those who hang the lights and haul in the tree, but even those chores would probably never happen without the influence of ‘the ladies in red.’ In fact, without their influence, I’m not sure anything would happen on the day of the Savior’s birth.

The Grinch missed the boat when he tried to stop Christmas. He found that even though he had stolen the presents, tinsel, and Christmas turkey; Christmas still came. What he should have done was kidnap “the ladies in Christmas red,” and he would have had a much better chance of stopping the spirit of Christmas from arriving.

Every home in America has a ‘lady in Christmas red’ watching over the spirit of the holiday season. She is called a Mother, a wife, a woman.

I dedicated a song in 1987 to my wife entitled, “Lady in Red.” It is a love song I dedicated to her while wearing a rather “bewitching” red dress that year. And while I cherish that memory, what I cherish more is watching as each December she puts on her “Christmas” red dress while making cherished memories for all those she loves. My children and I will be forever indebted.

And when I get together and share memories with my siblings of Christmas’ past; our hearts are touched, bonds are strenghten and love is fostered. And at the center of those shared feelings is always the image of our mother under the tree with a smile handing out presents. She is not a ‘lady in red’ to us. No, she is our personal angel of light whose warmth, care, and love continue to bless our lives in countless ways.

So to all the ‘ladies in Christmas red,’ wherever you may be. You may feel like all your efforts go unrecognized; but they aren’t. Without you the ‘Grinch’ might win. And I wouldn’t blame you for sometimes wanting to ride off in his sleigh in hysteria. But please don’t! Your work is invaluable in building traditions that bind families together for a lifetime.