In the world of marketing and public relations (a world in which I live in for more than 40 hours a week), vanilla is a dirty word that finds itself attached to any lackluster effort. Vanilla events, vanilla mailings, and vanilla publicity translate to boring.
Personally, I think vanilla gets a bad rap.
And that’s coming from a spicy-chili loving gal who believes that there is no such thing as too much garlic, and whose motto concerning dessert is “if it’s not chocolate, it’s not worth the calories.” However, I recently looked at vanilla from a different lens when my husband whipped up a batch of homemade vanilla ice cream. Considering it a calorie waste, I wasn’t going to even try the ice cream. After all, it’s not like I had never had vanilla ice cream before. But he spent time making it with the purest ingredients . . . so the least I could do was try a spoonful.
Countless spoonfuls and 2 bowls of vanilla ice cream later, I found myself online researching the flavor I once considered dull. From this research (and from my own little taste test) I learned that pure vanilla is the antithesis of bland.
Vanilla is a fruit. It comes from an orchid native to Central America. The celadon colored orchid is the only one out of more than 20,000 varieties of orchids that bears edible fruit.
Vanilla is expensive. It is the world’s most labor-intensive agricultural crop, which is why it is the second most expensive spice one can buy.
Vanilla was once considered a luxury item that was enjoyed only by royalty.
Vanilla, in its purest form, is rich and robust. The phony laboratory-created vanilla flavoring is what gives the real stuff a bad reputation.
Strangely, the more I pondered vanilla, the more I thought about Christmas. While Christmas, no matter how it is celebrated, resonates excitement, it is, like vanilla, often misunderstood and devalued based on misconceptions.
Christmas, in its purest form, birthed hope.
When we take away the glitz and tinsel, drop the shopping bags, and pack up the expectations of life imitating a Norman Rockwell painting, we’re left with a beautiful reality of the only thing that matters.
Christmas is about Jesus. His humble birth. His life of truth. His sacrifice.
Like vanilla, Christmas is expensive. By expensive, I am not referring to the amount of money we spend on presents, but to what it cost God. Just think, more than 2,000 years ago, the One who spoke our world into existence donned flesh and embraced humanity as a person. He lived among lowly humans, permitted Himself to be cared for by people and then lived as a servant until purchasing enough salvation to cover every single sinner who requests it. That’s more than expensive. That’s priceless.
Too often, Christmas is blended with synthetic sentiments that dilute the sweet lusciousness that embody all that the occasion is truly meant to be. Sometimes all of the wants and obligations clutter the true meaning of joy. So this year, instead of wishing your Christmas be merry and bright, I’m wishing it will be exquisite, fragrant, and flavorful.
And I hope that you’ll have yourself a Vanilla Little Christmas.
Leave a Comment
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Angela,
Your post brought back a sweet memory of my dad. When I was little, for an extra special treat, we’d pile in the Chevy station wagon and head to Baskin Robbins for ice cream. I remember teasing my dad that for all of their famed 31 flavors of ice cream, my dad always picked vanilla. I do remember thinking…how boring.
But, when I went to buy pure vanilla extract for some baking, I was reminded of it’s great price that you so beautifully pointed out. How can we even begin to fathom the extraordinary gift and ultimate sacrifice that was brought forth in the world on Christmas?? Jesus’ love is often described as being fragrant….vanilla – pure – white – fragrant – of great worth and value. Wonderful reminder. I will never look at vanilla the same.
Blessings this Advent season,
Bev xx
Cindy says
Vanilla goes with any flavor of ice cream and is prefect with pie or cake. I love to for a special treat put vanilla in coffee – it adds a wonderful fragrance to it. Plain vanilla has many ways how it compliments other flavors. I like to think often I like to be a person who is plain vanilla that can compliment others’ lives.
Sweet blessing,
Cindy B.
shelly says
Awesome! Thank you! I hope your holiday is peaceful and joyous as well.
Michele Morin says
I’m thinking about my vanilla-scented candles and the soft light they shed on the room while giving off the scent I love. Now, you have given me one more reason to enjoy their beauty!
Pearl @ Look Up Sometimes says
Angela, SO beautiful!!! Thank you. Years ago an aunt brought me back real vanilla extract (in a plastic water bottle because that’s all the people had!) from Haiti after a missions trip. It completely changed how I viewed vanilla. The liquid is so potent a few drops flavor twelve dozen cookies! Even after sharing half, and baking regularly, that bottle of vanilla extract lasted me almost fifteen years! It has the most unique taste – vanilla, for sure – but unmistakably pure. I’d never considered this purity in the context of Christmas. Such a beautiful post! Thank you!
Jessica Watkins says
Love this! Vanilla is soft yet bold, aromatic on it’s own yet complimentary to almost any other sweet scent. Simple, yet one of the most valued and important flavors.
When I think of the Christmas story – a baby born to save the world, a man who was perfect yet died for all of our sins, a simple story that is also the most important one we can tell.
Grateful for your words this morning and for a “vanilla” reminder of what Christmas is all about!
Tracie says
I love vanilla, so I truly appreciate your message. Artificial vanilla is so disappointing once you’ve tasted the pure, real vanilla. Now I can meditate on savoring the hope Jesus brings to the world.
Gail Noe says
Thank you for sharing. I am looking forward to an opportunity to enjoy pure vanilla. I have been meditating in a book by Joseph Prince called “The Priceless Gift of Righteousness.” The Truth is doing an awesome work in my heart as it continues to go deeper and push out the lies I had taken in over the years. Our righteousness is a Blood bought gift!!!!!!!
Rachel says
L. O. V. E. This!!!
And I have learned something today about Vanilla & I’ll never look at it the same!!
It’s got me thinking too…I seriously can’t live without it. Any type of remotely sweet food, requires vanilla.
Up until now, I can honestly say I have taken the use of vanilla for granted. I had no idea it was a precious resource!
(See where I’m going with this? )
I absolutely have a new appreciation for vanilla, and for the gift of my salvation.
How often are my quick prayers, meaningless or filled with flipancy?
The ability to pray at any given moment is truly like this vanilla. The access to the “sweetness” of God, is not something to be taken lightly but to be a little more careful with, knowing that it is incredibly valuable.
Father, thank You for this revelation to my heart, my soul. May I be so much more aware of your activity around me
And thank you so much for sharing this today!!
Yvonne says
Oh, I so love this. Over the years I have begun to dread Christmas and the expectations that are built around it. This is such a wonderful reminder of what Christmas should really be about. Thank you I am looking forward to a simple Christmas focused on Jesus…..
Lora Leftwich says
Great post Angela! I love pure vanilla. Whether it’s the scent of vanilla candles that tickles my nose with memories, the taste of special treats that causes me to audibly say, “mmmm” or the depth of color that is so pleasing to my eye, I am simply delighted by it. I can indeed connect with you on comparing vanilla to the purity of Christmas. I can embrace Christ with you and with the season that celebrates His entrance into the world. It’s all simply delightful.
Merry Christmas
Gretchen Matthews says
Thank you, Angela, for this lovely reflection. Luscious vanilla flavor has always been one of my favorites, and in its purest form, vanilla is also a beautiful scent. My great grandmother couldn’t afford perfume, so she scented herself with vanilla and apparently my great grandfather thought it was divine!
Thank you, especially, for your analogy. This season is meant to be about purity of intention – our hearts focused on Christ and his endless love for us. Have a blessed Advent.
Brenda G says
Thank you. Your post touched my heart in a way that is hard to articulate. A beautiful post!
Jeanne Takenaka says
Oh, Angela. I loved this post. I had no idea that vanilla was the fruit of a certain sort of orchid. You’re so right. Vanilla does get a bad rap. And I love how you turned us toward the real essence of Christmas. This particular Christmas season holds a lot of busy-ness for reasons I can’t go into. In the midst of all that is weighing on my shoulders, I’m seeking Jesus. To know and walk in His hope, to savor His love for me. And to cherish the gift He offers all of us. Thank you for the reminder that Christmas is exquisite and to be savored, not hurried through only to come out at December 26th exhausted.
Have yourself a vanilla Christmas too. 🙂
Nancy Ruegg says
What a delightful Christmas wish–to enjoy an exquisite, fragrant, and flavorful vanilla Christmas! I had no idea vanilla came from a rare orchid, was such a precious commodity in centuries past, and is the most labor-intensive agricultural crop. It does indeed lend itself to analogy with Jesus. Our vanilla candles will take on new meaning, thanks to you, Angela!
Beth Williams says
Angela,
Thanks for the history lesson on vanilla. My aging dad loves ice cream. Now he seems to really enjoy “plain” vanilla. It is no longer plain to me. It is an exquisite scent that I love and I will treasure its price & the price that Christ paid at Christmas. There is a song “Leaving Heaven” by Matthew West that explains precisely how I feel about Christmas.
Well, it’s been real nice living way up here
In paradise, over the atmosphere
But I can’t stay long, gotta make my way
I’m leaving Heaven today
You see the world is dark and it needs a light
I’m gonna hang a star in the eastern sky
So everybody’s gonna know where I touch down
I’m leaving Heaven right now
I’m gonna walk around that broken Earth
Trading in these streets of gold
So if you ever wonder how much you’re worth
You should know
That you’re the reason why I’m leaving Heaven
Ain’t gonna be no kingdom, ain’t gonna be no crown
Just a little old manger, in a little old town
But it’ll do just fine for this humble King
I’m leaving Heaven let all the angels sing
I’m gonna walk around that broken Earth
Trading in these streets of gold
So if you ever wonder how much you’re worth
You should know
You’re the reason why I’m leaving Heaven
And when my time comes to an end
I’ll lay down my life like a truest friend
And when I get back home, I’m gonna make some room
So, don’t you worry, ‘cause I’m coming back for you
And you will say goodbye to that broken Earth
You’re gonna walk on streets of gold
And if you ever wonder what my love is worth
Well you should know
That I’m the reason you’ll be seeing Heaven
Oh, you’re the reason why I’m leaving Heaven
I’m leaving Heaven
Blessings and a very Vanilla Christmas to all!
Cheri Johnson says
Loved this! I appreciate true vanilla — and my husband, too, makes great home-made ice cream. But You shared some things I’d never heard before. Like, vanilla is very labor-intensive and the second most expensive spice. Then you broke it down and related it beautifully to the pure Christmas story. Excellent and grasp-able. Well done and insightful.
Thank you!