How we celebrate Christmas

Continuing on with our last post, I would like to share how we celebrate Christmas. In these days of mall trampling's and fighting over toys, it seems like America has forgot what we celebrate. Christmas has long been about giving and receiving gifts, and in the process we forgot about The Gift. The Gift that God gave us all those years ago in a small town in Judea called Bethlehem. The Gift was more than just a baby, and became more than just a man, He became our Savior, and will one day soon be our King.

Christmas was supposed to be about giving and receiving gifts and then preparing and eating a feast in honor of Christ, and what He did for us. Just think about how humbling it must have been to leave all of the Glory of heaven to be laid in a feeding trough. And then to put Himself within the limits of a human body, and grow, and then die. We have a hard time relating to any of this, because we seldom give up anything for anybody, let alone die in their place.

Look at the word Christmas. It is a Latin word of a combination of "Christ" and "mass", and has its origins in the Catholic church, meaning "a mass to celebrate Christ", but "mass" can also mean beginning, and Christ literally means "Messiah, or Savior". So for those of us who are not Catholic, in defining the word outside of Catholic lingo, Christmas literally means in secular language "the beginning of our Salvation." Salvation would not exist if Jesus had not had to come. This is explained extensively in the last third of the book of Isaiah, the entire book of Zechariah, and most of Hebrews.

So, how do we celebrate Christmas? Like I said in our previous post, we try to make Christ the focus. This is challenging enough for adults, but with five young boys, it is even harder. Try telling a 7 year old about the story of Christmas, and you will get "Yeah, yeah, but what did I get?" So it is a challenge, but it is easily overcome.

This is what we do. First, we made it clear when we decided to serve Christ full time that Santa Clause had to go. we told our kids the real story of Christopher Kringle, and that was that. Then we began setting our own traditions, and sometimes add a little more of it.

On Christmas Eve, we gather as a family, and I read the story of Jesus' birth from the family Bible. I am a pretty good story teller, so I make this as interesting and fun as I can. And then me and Roxann answer all the questions that we know the answers too, and then we put the kids to bed.

When it comes to presents, we used to go all out. We let our budget decide on how many and what kinds of gifts to buy. But last year, and again this year we decided on three gifts only. we let the kids give us a list of 5-10 things they want, and try to stick with those when possible. We then wrap the three gifts in colors representing the gifts the Magi, or wise men gave on that night. Gold for Gold, Deep red/maroon for myrrh, and earthy brown for frankincense. We also describe these gifts Jesus received and their meanings on Christmas morning.

Now these gifts are only the ones from us. Gifts from grandparents, friends, relatives, etc. are not considered to be our gifts. We then spend the day cooking and singing, and generally praising God. We remind ourselves and the children about why we are celebrating. And then we eat. We devote the day to kindness and love. Of course, we try to do that every day, but go out of our way on that day, and pledge to do the same the rest of the year.

And there you have it. Now, this is not to say that the way we do it is right, or your way wrong, but I hoped to answer the question so many of you have asked about getting the focus of Christmas off of money and on the One that money cannot buy.

I have two more post I am working on, one a sentimental one, and the other on a subject most like to avoid, the one of tithing. With the economy in the shape its in, tithing becomes harder, and around Christmas it becomes even easier to give less and take some for yourself. So we will look at ways to remain faithful while pinching pennies. And it will be all scriptural, and hopefully will ease some of your worries about preachers taking your money and buying yachts, etc.

Until next time, may God rain down blessings on you and your entire family!