December 25 is when this holiday is celebrated. Do you celebrate Christmas? What does Christmas mean to you? As a child my parents would put up the beautiful decorations along with the lovely tree that we would put together and decorate then later put gifts under the tree. At a youthful tender age I knew this time as a time to receive presents from all of my family members and family friends. I didn't know the real reason for this joyful blessed holiday until school age. In school and church we would do arts and crafts and hear lovely Christmas stories. This is when I learned that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. The name Christmas comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus) A Mass or Communion is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life.
Christmas Presents. One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men. Underlying that custom is an important purpose: APPRECIATION. We give people gifts to show them that we are grateful for them and the value the role they play in our lives. ...Because gifts don't express appreciate, people do. When people don't express it, neither do their gifts.
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus over 2000 years ago. We celebrate His birth because He was God's gift to us--for through Him, God demonstrated His great love for us. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
It's important to remember the act of giving first started with God and that our own gifts are a way to honor Him and to extend His love to others. The Bible states that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) and that Jesus taught it is better to give then receive
(Acts 20:35). These teachings aren't meant to burden us with the pressure to give during the holiday or any other time but rather to encourage us that, when we are focused on Him and filled wit His love, giving comes naturally.
May you enjoy the holiday for all the right reasons. Maybe you know some people that are a bit of a Grinch, it may because they don't know the reasons why you are so joyful at this time. Perhaps no one has ever shared the Good News with them. Make a difference in someone's life today. Share with others.
May you have Joy and Peace during this wonderful season.
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