What is Christmas to you?
Does Christmas mean parties, Santa Claus, reindeer, mistletoe, eggnog, buying gifts, holiday sales and discounts, pine trees and decorations, a holiday bonus, TV specials and movie releases, a few days off from work, candy and treats, sending cards, mouthwatering desserts, passing on well wishes to others, bells ringing, year-end giving, snowmen and snow flakes, eating and drinking too much, time with family and friends, carol singing, and happy childhood memories?
Those things are all part of what Christmas has become, but have little to do with what it means.
Two-thousand years ago, Jesus pointed a new way to God; he came out of love and he came to give. So when we give gifts to each other on Christmas, it is really a reminder of Jesus loving us and giving himself to us.
In this way, we can keep the true spirit of Christmas alive by following Jesus’ example of loving and giving—and not just at Christmastime, but every day, throughout the year.
Merry Christmas!
[See Luke 2:1-14 for the Christmas story.]
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
