Nog-ing on Heaven's Door

I’m pretty sure that I’ve gone on record as someone who does not mind when pumpkin spice everything begins to seep into our collective consciousness. I may disagree that mid-July is the right time to start putting out fall-themed beverages, but I am generally in the, “Sure, have fun” camp. And so with that in mind, I present to you the next season to arrive unseasonably early.

drum roll

continued drum roll

drum roll that has you wondering why I wrote this because it’s not like you can actually hear it

Ta-da!

It’s nog time, baby!

That’s right. That is a photo from the Pittsford Plaza Wegman’s taken on October 22nd. For those of you keeping score at home, that is a whole 63 days before Christmas. That’s over 1/6th of the calendar year. This brazen display of noggy lawlessness took place not only before Halloween, but before I bought my candy to give out on Halloween. You know how some people don’t listen to Christmas tunes before Thanksgiving? Whoever made this decision must have thought they meant Thanksgiving of 2024.

I am here for it.

As an appreciator of a fine nog, I have to say that I’m not opposed to egg nog making its appearance in mid-October. Heck, I’d be ok seeing nog in the cooler on the fourth of July.

All of this is to say – let people have their fun.

When you hear someone singing Christmas carols, let them. If you see someone drinking nog at inappropriate times, let me. If you find yourself putting off things you want to do because it might not be the right time, do it.

Have fun. Invite other people to have fun. Be weird.

Standard disclaimer: if your idea of fun hurts someone, then I would suggest that instead of having fun, you can do some internal work to change your idea of fun.

I feel like a broken record on this topic. I’ve been going on and on and on about having fun in church for months. But I think I keep coming back to this well because it can be so easy to give up on having fun. Things are, generally speaking, not great in the world. I don’t like that. As a matter of fact, I find it downright depressing.

I can’t make the world better if I don’t see what a better world could look like. We need to seriously address the injustice that is rampant in our streets. We need to stand up to power and say, “This can’t keep happening.” We need to be strong in the face of a world that is inexorably seeking to destroy those things that make us who we are. We need to be resolute when we see the most vulnerable among us at the most risk.

But I can’t make the world better if I don’t see what a better world could look like. We are in the fight for the long haul, and we will find ourselves dispirited and defeated. But that makes it that much more urgent that we see what joy exists in our world.

I will drink my nog. You can have your mint juleps.

Let’s try to have fun, and please let other people find their fun, too.

Peace,

Rev. Jeff Fox-Kline

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Join the fun! Whether it’s a seasonal treat, a quirky tradition, or simply embracing joy in the everyday, we invite you to celebrate life’s little pleasures—no matter what the calendar says. Come be part of our community at Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church, where there’s always room for a little fun, a little laughter, and a lot of heart. Connect with us, share your joy, and let’s make space for happiness together! We're located at 1200 S. Winton Road in the heart of Brighton, NY. Come visit us!