Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and many songs have been written to celebrate the spirit of the holiday. The late Nat King Cole captured the magic of the season when he sang “The Christmas Song.”
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire; Jack Frost nipping at your nose; Yuletide carols being sung by a choir; and folks dressed up like Eskimos; Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe; Help to make the season bright; Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow: will find it hard to sleep tonight; They know that Santa’s on his way; He’s loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh; And every mother’s child is gonna spy; To see if reindeers really know how to fly.
December 25 is a federal holiday in the United States and has been celebrated since 1870. The popular customs for this day of celebration include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending a religious service and sharing meals with family and friends.
The excitement of waiting for Santa Claus to arrive is the highlight of Christmas for children. They are not excited about going to sleep. However, the amazing thing is that Christmas is perhaps the only time children are eager to get out of bed to see what presents Santa has brought them. They envision Santa riding on his sleigh pulled by Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph, the most important reindeer of all.
The late evangelist Bill Graham said, “the key to Christmas is to remember what it is supposed to celebrate; the birth of a Savior and if it wasn’t for Him there would be no Christmas.”
He said keeping our eye on Him should be at the center of our Christmas celebrations and we should not let ourselves be distracted by everything else that is going on. Even though Christmas has grown increasingly busy, and the Savior easily gets crowded out by all the activities and the stress on material things, let’s keep our eyes on the Savior of Humanity.
As our family and friends celebrate Christmas, take time to turn your attention on why Christmas is so important. Take time to reflect on why the Savior’s birth is so important and that His birth was the greatest gift to humanity. Merry Christmas to all and remember to Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
