What do you want for Christmas?

When I was growing up, Christmas was my favorite holiday. Of course, that made me like every other kid. I will confess: It was about the gifts. There were other things that made Christmas time nice: houses covered with lights; school Christmas parties; Dickens on the Strand; and Christmas vacation. If one of those things were to be left out I would always feel like I was missing something, that Christmas just was not Christmas. What I have learned, though, is that while those things might be fun and worth looking forward to, they do not make Christmas.

For many people Christmas is another reminder of a great loss. This will be the first Christmas since a loved one has passed away for someone. Also, even at Christmas, tragedy always finds itself on the news. Surely, then, Christmas has to mean more than red-bowed gifts and office parties. Indeed, it does! Christmas is the reminder that God is with us—that God came to us and will always be with us. In our joy or sorrow we can trust that God is with us. Without that, there is no Christmas. May God’s presence, then, be everything to you this Christmas.