By Megan Blansit,ST Faith Contributor (Photo by Kristy Gallagher)
The day many of us have anticipated is among us! Christmas day is only days away! If you’re anything like me, this is both exciting and slightly stressful. I absolutely love Christmas time and I absolutely love buying presents for people. Mix those two things together and you’ve got a broke girl who is sad that she can’t go out and buy loved ones MORE presents! There is something so fulfilling, as well as fun in giving!
As a young girl I always dreamt of giving people vehicles as gifts, a Hummer to be exact (slightly humorous looking back at how I was so specific and how our taste changes.) To fast forward many many years, I am a broke graduate student working on a masters, with 2 jobs. Maybe one day I will be making the “big bucks” and can make those childhood dreams a reality!
Sadly, as I have gotten older, I feel as though the spirit of Christmas is dwindling. As a child things were so special and exciting. Yet, as an adult Christmas can tend to be stressful and almost rushed. For example, trying to make it all the family dinners and/or work parties can be overwhelming. Aside from all that, it saddens me that for many, the Christmas story has been labeled familiar and that perhaps we aren't inspired anymore. Maybe you’re not moved by the story of Jesus being born in a manger anymore because you've heard it your entire life. Been there, done that, you know all the songs, etc. However, when we become too “familiar” with something, it can be easy to miss the beauty of it.
It is very easy to focus on giving or receiving gifts from family or friends and forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. Thanks to television, it can even be easier to focus our attention on “Santa Claus” and all the gifts he will bring us more than the real reason for the season. This may sound harsh, but I say this with love, it’s not our birthday December 25th, it Jesus’. What are we giving HIM?
In my opinion, His birth is the most important birth that the world has ever known! December 25th is the day we celebrate a true King being born. A King who grew up to have such courage and love to be nailed to a cross and take a punishment for OUR sins. A King who shares his inheritance with his sons and daughters, you and I. Nothing ordinary came from the birth of Jesus.
Friend, our King deserves to be celebrated! I long for the day we are all in Heaven and get to partake in the birthday celebration in person with Him! How beautifully amazing will that be?! So friend, like I mentioned earlier, it’s easy to get carried away in the hustle and bustle, but I challenge you this Christmas to step back from the busy schedule, take a breather, and mediate on the beauty of the birth of Jesus Christ. Will we acknowledge the birth of our Savior, or will our mind be consumed with parties and gifts? There is absolutely nothing wrong with parties and gifts but I pray we are all mindful that without Christ there would be no Christmas. I hope you all have a very blessed and merry Christmas!
