All through the Holiday season I try to avoid Santa Claus. It’s not easy. Everywhere you go, there are photo booths with Santa, songs about Santa, and Santas at every shop door soliciting money. He is so jolly and cute that sometimes I feel like I’m wrong for not celebrating Santa!
When I was a kid I thought Santa was Christmas. It wasn’t until I was a teenager, or tweenager, that I realized that Christmas wasn’t about Santa at all! It was a surprise to me that the true Christmas celebration is all about the Christ child.
To be fair to my old self – there are a lot of distractions at Christmas – the class parties, the concerts, the plays, the crafts, the Christmas tree! I would go nuts for gifts, and I would stress out trying to buy everyone’s happiness!
But, once I realized what Christmas really is I slowed down. I listened, really listened, to old Christmas carols. I started to look for way to bring the Christ child into my traditions by hanging a nativity on my tree, having a gift for the Christ child under the tree, and taking time on Christmas Eve to read or re-enact the Christmas story.
With our families, we have every reason to celebrate the birth of our long awaited Savior. Jesus Christ is a blessing to each one of us! Because of Him, and His priceless atonement, we have the blessings of His Gospel now, and the hope of a better life in the world to come.
We can celebrate this Christmas by radiating kindness, being patient as we wait in lines – whether it is a line of traffic or a checkout, and rekindling or making friendships. As we focus on our Savior, and act as He would, we can help others raise their eyes to the wonderful hope that is our Savior, Jesus Christ.
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