Some people have big family gatherings every year; the one time a year everyone is together.
I've seen on social media where some families with young children decorate gingerbread houses together, or make Christmas cookies or candy together every year.
There are traditions of going to look at Christmas lights together, or riding a Christmas train with friends or family.
So many traditions.
I was reflecting on this yesterday when I was doing one of my own traditions: I go out to breakfast by myself at a local restaurant which serves breakfast. I sit there and go over my list and what I still have left to do before Christmas. I make a thorough list and then spend the day shopping and making preparations. Yesterday was an enjoyable day; I got a lot done.
Part of what I needed to do had to be done at home, and I had Christmas music playing on Pandora. Several times I heard a phrase indicating what Christmas meant to the singer. This started me thinking, and I decided I needed to write about it.
What DOES Christmas mean to me? I can list several things it is NOT:
It's not about presents and making sure you do everything on your to do list, even though that was technically what I was doing yesterday.
It's not Santa, Saint Nicklaus, or Father Christmas, either.
It's not even about family and being together, which some think it is according to some songs.
Here is what Christmas is. Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem. God took on flesh and became one of us--Immanuel, which means "God with us"--to save us from our sins. In order to reconcile us and put us in a right relationship with God, Jesus had to be born human and live a sinless life so that He would be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He died for us but rose again on the third day.
That's what Christmas is about.
I'm not against presents, Santa, or family gatherings, but the focus for me has to be on the reason we have Christmas in the first place.
The facts remain:
No matter how hard we try to get everything done on the list, there's always something left undone.
I'm not going to go into the origins of Santa. Not even going there.
And families don't always gather; I know that firsthand. I'm not even upset about it anymore; it's just the way it is in our culture today. Families live far apart more than ever before.
The one unchanging thing about Christmas is why we have it in the first place. The real Christmas is in my heart always, because Jesus is there.
I pray you come to know the true meaning of Christmas this year if you don't already.
Merry Christmas! Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:4-7 NKJV
