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The best thing about Christmas is ... ?

December 25,  2008  - Ian

At recent Church Services of All Saints I asked the question; what is the best thing about Christmas from this list;

• Is it the holiday from work or school?

• Is it the wonderful food that we get to eat?

• Is it the buying and giving of presents?

• Is the best thing the receiving of gifts?

• Is the best thing about Christmas the being with family?

No one admitted to the gluttony that we indulge in with food. About 2 children voted for the holiday and about 3 people said that buying presents for others is the best thing about Christmas. I think that they were spending someone else’s money. About 5 brave but honest people, like me, voted for the receiving of presents is the best thing about Christmas but the vast majority of people voted for family being the most important thing about Christmas on that list. What is your favourite thing?

Let’s now open us the list to include other things that are great about Christmas like coming to church so often in one week, the singing of carols, the Christmas tree and decorations etc.

The best thing about Christmas is surely celebrating the birth of Jesus otherwise we would need to call the holiday Abrahamas or Mosesmas or Buddhamas or Mohammadmas or...

Without Jesus sustaining the world, there would be no food to eat. Without Jesus bringing us peace with God through his death and resurrection, then we would have no real days of rest. Without God the Father giving Jesus to us, without the birth of Jesus and the coming of the wise men/Magi, there would not be the tradition of giving and receiving of gifts. After all no other religion that I know of celebrates their “founders” birth with the giving presents.

And without Jesus becoming like us and living in a human family like us, we would not have the spiritual family with whom we celebrate Christmas.

The birth of Jesus is the best thing about Christmas! Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. So how can we make this Christmas more focused on him and less on the other things of Christmas? Give yourself to Jesus and so commit yourself to being willing to be more faithfully serving him this year.

Ian 

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