What Christmas Means to Me

        Christmas is a time of anticipation. A time for giving. A time for holiday cheer. The commercialized holiday has created a gaudy spectacle, but the magical time requires some gaudy spectacles! We can still offer our appreciation, our gratitude, our awe to God who sent His son Jesus to the world to save us. Jesus’ birth is pivotal to my faith but so is His resurrection at Easter.

        Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas, but the holiday can still be loved and cherished and sprinkled and tinseled with all things cheer. A birthday is a time of celebration, a time of gifts, a time of delicious food, a time with family, a time of song, a time of jubilee. Why not celebrate the greatest, the most important birthday with all the things?

        Christmas is a time to celebrate Christ’s birth, a time to give presents, a time to devour cookies and ham, a time to make memories with family, a time to carol and a time to be joyful. The commercialized frenzy goes too far, in my opinion, when it lies to children. I believe there can be a magical feeling in the air, the crisp winter air, but we cannot hide behind magic to explain generosity.

        Giving and receiving is an essential part of the holiday but can we not own up to the identity of the giver? Why cheapen the holiday by covering it with a lie? A lie that creates distrust between child and adult. Let us embrace generosity and not hide between a fictitious character in a sleigh.

        Christmas means generosity. Christmas means sincerity. Christmas means hope.