The Magic of Christmas

This is the first year that Henry seems to kind of understand what Christmas is. It has been so much fun watching him run out of his room every morning to find the elf, staring at the tree and yelling "Christmas" and talking with him about what it all actually means. I see the light and joy in his eyes and I remember the feeling I had when I was a kid at Christmas. 

I have started to wonder where that magic goes. Why as adults do we focus so much on the material side of the holiday and not the spiritual? Why do we allow ourselves to be come so over focused on our jobs and shopping that we lose the significance of the season? And when does this happen? 

I can remember being in 8th grade and writing an article for the school paper about just believing in Santa Claus. I didn't believe anymore but I was still longing for the magic of Christmas I had as a young child. I wrote about believing even when we don't believe anymore and the joy that comes every year. At some point I even lost that. I find myself searching for it every year and seeing the joy in my own child's eyes is what brings me closer. 

Christmas is the time of year that we celebrate the birth of Jesus. If you go through the Bible and read the history you can note that the world was falling a part. God tried over and over again to show his people the way to live their lives by faith. The people continue to get it wrong and God continues to try again. Eventually God came down in the form of his only son, Jesus. The birth of Jesus is a symbol of hope, promise and peace for our world. We celebrate it everywhere by the giving and receiving of gifts to the ones we love.  

As a society we put so much emphasis on the material side. We spend hours shopping, researching and searching for the "perfect" gift, only to give it on Christmas Day and often times see the lack of excitement on our loved ones' face. We experience disappointment,stress and anxiety over it all. And for what? Is that really how we celebrate Jesus' birth?

I told Paul that Christmas was going to be different for me this year, that I was going to make an effort to be more focused on the religious side than the present side. (Don't worry family, you are all getting presents!) I have started asking Henry why we get presents on Christmas. He finally started saying back to me "It's Jesus' birthday! We get presents!" We talk about the Christmas story almost daily and I remind him that the elf is there to tell Santa that he is such a nice guy, full of kindness and joy. I tell him that he is the hope I see in the world. That the reason why I celebrate Christmas is not because of presents, it is because of him and the promise that a child brings. 

Our world is falling a part right now. We are in desperate need of hope, peace love and joy. I encourage everyone this Christmas season to seek that out. Go find the thing that brings you closer to God and stronger in your faith journey. Go find the thing that brings you hope, peace, love and joy.