Christmas has a different meaning to each and every one of us. But I want to tell you what Christmas means to me.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

To me Christmas is not only about decorations and Christmas trees and presents, or turkey dinners, or family gatherings. Oh yes. Those things are great, and God has given us richly all things to enjoy. But more importantly, Christmas is about LOVE, God’s LOVE. To me, John 3:16 sums up the true meaning of Christmas, God’s ultimate gift to EVERYONE–His Son. God loved His creation, MAN, so much that in order to redeem him from eternal death, which he so deserves, He sent His Son to be the substitute for us.

I don’t care that some say that the first Christmas was not observed at the birth of Christ, that it originated back in Rome to honor Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, or some other theory that someone else might have come up with. To me, the first Christmas was the day Christ was born–Christ’s birth day.

I am glad that Sunday schools and churches put on pageants with the manger scene and the shepherds. What better way to teach a child about Christ and why He came to earth. I am glad that the authors of the Bible recorded that the humble shepherds celebrated on the night of Christ’s birth, by leaving their sheep and seeking out the baby Jesus; and that the wise men began their search for the King that same night. To me it doesn't matter that the usual scenario is of the wise men at the inn with the shepherds in these pageants. Is it really giving the children the wrong idea? Of course we know that the wise men came on the scene much later. The child will learn to put things in their proper order as he grows up. I did. So let the Sunday schools put their pageants on, with the wonderful Christmas scene of the shepherds and the wise men worshipping Jesus.

I don’t care that research has shown that we do not know the exact day of Christ’s birth. It does not matter whether it was not December 25th or some other day of the year. What matters is: Christ was born. And that He lived--as a man; suffered--as a man; died a cruel death on the cross--as a man; and rose again on the third day--as God, triumphant over sin and death, our REDEEMER, our SAVIOR, our LORD.

I don’t care if they tell me that the exchanging of gift idea did not originate with the gifts that the wise men took to the child Jesus. To me, gift giving, 'though enjoyable, is not important. God’s ultimate Gift is. If people get pleasure and comfort from giving and receiving gifts, then let them carry on with it. To me it does not detract from the true meaning of Christmas.

I don’t care what they say about the Christmas tree--that it is a pagan symbol. To me that is not important. I have heard several opinions on this. Great that people get pleasure out of putting up and decorating a tree. It doesn’t bother me a bit. In fact, if it uplifts someone from their humdrum existence, giving them something to look forward to, at least once a year, let them put up a tree; let them decorate it. To me this is not a distraction from the true meaning of Christmas. Perhaps it even adds to it. Christ came as the Light of the world: so let the lights at Christmas help remind people of this. Christ died on a tree for our sins: so let the tree be a reminder of this.

What better time of year than at Christmas, to teach our children the true meaning? Would we stop our busy lives in July to explain to them that Christ came as a Babe to live in a wicked world just so He would grow up and die on a cruel cross for US? I don't think so. So all you people who like to throw cold water on Christmas, labeling it a pagan celebration, let me ask you: when do you set aside a special time to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas? I can't imagine what it would be like if we did not celebrate Christmas.

Amen!
© Helen Dowd

To me, the true meaning of Christmas is told in the words of my poem:
Christmas True

For the full story of Christmas, please read Luke 2 and Matthew 1:18 and chapter 2.

More of Helen's Christmas:
The Haves and the Havenots
A Walk In The Forest
No Room For The Christ of Christmas
Christmas Memories
What Is Christmas?
Christmas Friendship
His Name Shall Be Called …