What does Christmas mean to you?

[Joshua-777]

There is a lot of controversy about Christmas. There are many people I know who are for Christmas in honor of the birth of Jesus or against it because of the mixture of pagan origins in it. I wanted to write this to show where my heart is at with Christmas. First off I do not believe in teaching your kids about Santa, I think that Santa is a secular mockery of Jesus, and I do not believe that lying to your children to inspire them to do good is justified in any way, but I'm not going to get into that.

There has been a question stirring in my heart about Christmas, and what it means to me. Now growing up, I watched my family go from celebrating Christmas with Santa, and the secular mythology mixed with the birth of Jesus, to celebrating only as a way to glorify our Messiah who has come into the world as a gift to all mankind.

I was taught that we put up a tree because our Savior gave his life on a tree, and we use an evergreen tree because they stay green every year, and that symbolizes eternity. We put a star on top of the tree that symbolizes the star on the night Jesus was born. I always thought that was a cool meaning behind the tree. The reason we gave each other gifts that day is because Jesus was born as a gift to all man kind and we put those gifts under the tree because through His sacrifice we have the gift of eternal life. Later we started wrapping a present for Jesus and putting it under the tree also. It had nothing in it but it was symbolic for our love for Jesus.

There has been events in my life where I have seen God do some awesome stuff on Christmas, which has lead me to believe He approves celebrating Christmas if it's to honor Him. Here's one example that still stirs in my heart. One year, in Christmas 2005. I was riding in the car with my mom on Christmas Eve; out of nowhere my mom looked at me and said, “We need to prepare a gift”. I looked at her like she was crazy and then she said, “God told me we need to have a gift prepared”. I was thinking she was crazy but when we got home, I thought I would humor her, and we searched the house for a gift. We found an unopened Maglite, and we wrapped it and put it under the tree. That night one of my friends from church just got into town. He stopped by our house to surprise us with gifts for the family. My mom handed him the gift and said, "God told me to wrap this for you."

Lately, I have been faced with a controversy in my heart whether to celebrate Christmas, or not. On one side, there is a lot of paganism mixed into the traditions, but the other side there is a lot of good in it. As I have been in prayer about this the Lord keeps bringing this event back to my mind. Why God will tell my mom to prepare a Christmas gift and put it under the tree if He didn't approve of it? I believe that Christmas is a good thing when celebrated for the right reasons. It is an opportunity to remember the gift of our Savior born into the world, and to share His love with others.

Luke 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So what does Christmas mean to you?

[lekh l'kha]

There is a lot of controversy about Christmas. There are many people I know who are for Christmas in honor of the birth of Jesus or against it because of the mixture of pagan origins in it. I wanted to write this to show where my heart is at with Christmas. First off I do not believe in teaching your kids about Santa, I think that Santa is a secular mockery of Jesus, and I do not believe that lying to your children to inspire them to do good is justified in any way, but I'm not going to get into that.

There has been a question stirring in my heart about Christmas, and what it means to me. Now growing up, I watched my family go from celebrating Christmas with Santa, and the secular mythology mixed with the birth of Jesus, to celebrating only as a way to glorify our Messiah who has come into the world as a gift to all mankind.

I was taught that we put up a tree because our Savior gave his life on a tree, and we use an evergreen tree because they stay green every year, and that symbolizes eternity. We put a star on top of the tree that symbolizes the star on the night Jesus was born. I always thought that was a cool meaning behind the tree. The reason we gave each other gifts that day is because Jesus was born as a gift to all man kind and we put those gifts under the tree because through His sacrifice we have the gift of eternal life. Later we started wrapping a present for Jesus and putting it under the tree also. It had nothing in it but it was symbolic for our love for Jesus.

There has been events in my life where I have seen God do some awesome stuff on Christmas, which has lead me to believe He approves celebrating Christmas if it's to honor Him. Here's one example that still stirs in my heart. One year, in Christmas 2005. I was riding in the car with my mom on Christmas Eve; out of nowhere my mom looked at me and said,

[Guest LadyC]

i was brought up being taught the same thing about the tree... and it kept Christ the focus of christmas in our house when i was a kid. my parents never taught me about santa, but it didn't stop me from believing when i was little. my parents did hide the gifts until christmas eve, when they put them under the tree. maybe that was to keep us from shaking them and trying to figure out what was in them. i was five when my 8 year old brother proved to me that santa didn't bring the gifts by hiding me behind the couch to watch mom and dad bring them into the house. ouch, that was a painful lesson LOL. but it wasn't because mom and dad had ever deceived me. it was just because i was a kid, and i wanted to believe.

likewise, i never taught my kids about santa. they just learned on their own. i didn't really teach them about the symbolism of the tree either. i wasn't living for God at the time. but they did know where presents came from. every year i'd sit them down and we'd all make lists of who we wanted to buy gifts for, and i'd give them X amount of $, and i'd take them shopping. they might have ten people to buy for and $20 to spend, but they'd always manage to buy everyone a present. nothing fancy, nothing expensive, but everyone got something.

me, the older i get, i don't know. in my heart i still believe in the symbolism of the tree, and i love to sing carols celebrating the birth of Christ. i love christmas music and christmas specials on tv. but i don't have the same joy at christmas anymore. i love our decorations, all the lights, the tree, the christmas village on display, but there are no gifts. it's just me and mark here anymore. i bought gifts year round on clearance, and they got shipped to their respective recipients already. mark's idea of christmas shopping is for us to go together and buy what we need... together... without bothering to wrap anything. kinda takes some of the joy out.

after a stressful night at work when i'm tired, i love driving home and looking at the lights up in the neighborhood. i'm disappointed that most people turn them off long before i get off work though.

there's a song that sums up my christmas wish quite nicely....

i wanna see christmas, like a child.

oh, how i'd love to have that kind of joy at christmas again! but it just comes and goes and nothing really special ever happens. it's just the marking of the passage of yet another year.

[Fez]

Just another day really. With a bit more food than usual, and being able to spoil someone/s you love perhaps.

As to celebrating the birth of Jesus. Not really. (and not because of any deep spiritual conviction either way)

I "celebrate" His death every day though.

[2Joyful]

Greetings,

You know I don't get into the debate on weather Christmas is pagan or not. I just celebrate each year with a thankful heart that God allowed this day to happen... where the world basically comes to a stand still and acknowledge the birth of Christ. Sure theres some that have taken the reason out of the season, by getting into debt, and so forth. But the important thing is..those of us that are believers, do this celebration everyday of our lives with gladness.

I thank God, I got saved while my kids was young. They grew up knowing that Santa wasn't the reason for the season and he sure wasn't the reason that they received gifts. Now what they chose to teach their kids are up to them, but my grands know their gifts come from grammie. They also must write (the older ones) and tell why Christmas is so important, the younger ones tell me. Last year my youngest grand baby 3 said, because we all come together in love. Well that just why Christ came, wasn't it? God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten son.

Loving you in Christ,

2J

[nebula]

Right now, Christmas is a time to get together with family. We have a special dinner and we exchange gifts and have fun together. Somewhere in there the birth of Christ is acknowledge. I keep thinking we ought to do more to remember Jesus, but I can't think of anything.

The weeks before Christmas, it means a lot to me to hear songs about Jesus (Christmas carols) being played on the radio and in the stores (once in a while the Jesus songs will still be played, though not as much as when I was younger).

I also enjoy the light decorations. I know legend has it that lights began as a symbol of Jesus being the Light of the World, and I know that no one really acknowledges that anymore, which is sad, but I still like the pretty lights - just because they are pretty.

And I enjoy the Christmas plays and other performances going on at churches and such.

Oh, eggnog. At least once during the season I've got to have some eggnog!

So I admit, I do enjoy some of the "secular" aspects of the Christmas holiday.

But if Christmas is about remembering Jesus, I feel like there's something more I could or should do on Christmas day. I mean, should not a gift be given Him as well?

[Song In The Night]

But if Christmas is about remembering Jesus, I feel like there's something more I could or should do on Christmas day. I mean, should not a gift be given Him as well?

You already gave Him what he wanted Nebz. When you said, "Yes" to Him.

That's all He wants.

Oh what a Lord we serve.......

And Lord help me to serve you better by spell checking more often !

Edited December 16, 2010 by Song In The Night

[Joshua-777]

Right now, Christmas is a time to get together with family. We have a special dinner and we exchange gifts and have fun together. Somewhere in there the birth of Christ is acknowledge. I keep thinking we ought to do more to remember Jesus, but I can't think of anything.

The weeks before Christmas, it means a lot to me to hear songs about Jesus (Christmas carols) being played on the radio and in the stores (once in a while the Jesus songs will still be played, though not as much as when I was younger).

I also enjoy the light decorations. I know legend has it that lights began as a symbol of Jesus being the Light of the World, and I know that no one really acknowledges that anymore, which is sad, but I still like the pretty lights - just because they are pretty.

And I enjoy the Christmas plays and other performances going on at churches and such.

Oh, eggnog. At least once during the season I've got to have some eggnog!

So I admit, I do enjoy some of the "secular" aspects of the Christmas holiday.

But if Christmas is about remembering Jesus, I feel like there's something more I could or should do on Christmas day. I mean, should not a gift be given Him as well?

Eggnog is awesome!

I was thinking this year of putting a present under the tree for Jesus, and writing out a prayer, or song, or something to put it it every year.

[ladypeartree]

My youngest daughter was born on Christmas day so we always had Jesus birthday in the morning and Bethans in the afternoon.. we always had a spare place set at the table but on a few occasions we found someone who would otherwise have spent Christmas day alone and they were invited to take the place that had been set and a gift would be under the tree for them . Nothing elaborate ( I was a single mum of four so I really didnt have the money to buy elaborate gifts for anyone ) If that gift was not used on the day ( if we had no unexpected guest with us ) it was given to a homeless charity or someone we found after the clebrations were over.

We STILL have Jesus birthday in the morning and Beths in the afternoon and she will be 30 this year

[wyguy]

What does Christmas mean to you?

LOOT!