The Meaning of Christmas

When I was growing up, there was a great deal of controversy amongst those who we went to church with as to whether or not "Jesus" should be a part of the Christmas celebration. It seems that since we do not know the exact date of our Lord's birth, these people felt that it was inappropriate to designate December 25 as his birthday. And so as I grew, I struggled to find what Christmas meant to me. Was it all about presents, Santa and a tree? Was it about doing good for others? Was it about Jesus?

In the past few years, I have tried to reconcile all this in my head. That is the beauty of being an adult and having your own family. You get to make your own traditions. And so we have had our Christmas tree, Santa, presents and we have discussed the birth of Jesus with our son, but that discussion is truly something we have year-round.

This year I have been giving Christmas more thought. Whether or not it is truly Jesus' birthday, it is, in fact, a time that those who would never set foot in a church building will set out a nativity scene. It is a time that makes it much easier to discuss who Jesus is to you with anyone you might meet. It is a time when people open their hearts and wallets to those in need, which is what Jesus asked us to do. And it is a time when we show the ones we love how much they mean to us.

I am glad that there is a holiday that asks me to reflect on the birth of the One who saves me. I am glad that I am reminded of the brave young woman who brought Him into the world. I am glad that there was a good man by her side to help her raise this precious child. Christmas is an opportunity to reflect on the source of our salvation, the greatest gift we could ever receive.

The meaning of Christmas for us is an opportunity to show love to others, just as love was shown to us.

What does Christmas mean to you?