Why I’ll be “walking like an Egyptian” this Christmas

The announcement that my boyfriend and I would be going to Egypt this Christmas raised a few eyebrows. Although they didn’t say it, I knew some people were thinking that it wasn’t a very “Christian” thing to do, as if God’s presence is somehow restricted to the British Isles.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas at home. I love snuggling up by the fire with my family, watching cheesy films I’ve seen a million times before, eating more turkey than can possibly be good for me and exchanging endless gifts. I’ve always ADORED the smell of Christmas dinner, pine needles and mulled wine (although I lost my sense of smell in the summer so this is a thrill I can no longer enjoy…).

But there are several valid reasons for spending Christmas overseas this year.

1. It is Chris’ 30^th birthday and we wanted to do something special to celebrate
2. We normally go to see our respective families (mine in Bristol, his in Derry) at this time of year, but after five years together we actually wanted to spend Christmas together. It would not have gone down at all well with my mum if we’d jilted a Bristol Christmas for a Derry one!
3. We fancy an escape from work; even I can’t do work if my laptop is 2,000 miles away
4. Egypt is WARM!

Anyway, I don’t know why I’m explaining myself. Yes, I will miss going to my own church on Christmas Day. I have certainly not forgotten that Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place. But Jesus was born a lot closer to Egypt than he was to Bristol or Derry. And he is just as relevant there as he is here. Even though Egypt (shock horror!) is a Muslim country.

We’ll be having our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve this year, but that won’t make me less of a Christian than those sitting down to eat on the 25th. In fact, it might give me the opportunity to have some interesting conversations with people who don’t normally think about Jesus at Christmastime. I’ll certainly be taking his love with me everywhere I go.

Whatever you’re doing this Christmas, I hope you have a fantastic one.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year from everyone at Liberti xxx