It only takes a few notes of that first jingle of the season to extract a high pitch of glee from me.  Yes, I am one of those people who listens to Christmas music outside of the socially accepted Holiday music time period.

Some of my friends give me a hard time about this but I just take the ribbing and enjoy the giddiness that bubbles up inside of me.  It’s a feeling I enjoy as the excitement builds knowing that my favorite season of the year is about to unfold!

This year my sister and I were ready to get the festive mood started early so we decided to decorate the house for Christmas before Thanksgiving.  Finding the decorations and dragging them out was a chore but once we had the trees up with lights and ornaments it started to feel like it was time to get the Yuletide rolling.

Not only is this a time of celebration, but it’s a time to reflect on why I celebrate Christmas and its meaning to me.

The biggest part of Christmas for me is the gift of giving.  It’s fun to receive gifts but oh how I Iove to shower someone with generosity.  The best part is when I see their face light up and a smile starts to blossom into a huge grin.  The time, energy, thought and love I put into it is all worth it because I get blessed beyond my imagination.   I guess you can say this is how I get my Joy Fix.

It kind of reminds me about God with Christmas, His ultimate gift to us.  He must care a whole lot about us to give such an astonishing present that would change our lives forever.  Jesus is the only reason why we celebrate Christmas, all because God wanted an unimaginable intimacy with us.  Who would have thought that God would send His only son to earth as a baby born in a manger?

Only the One who loves you to death would do something so outrageous. 

What does Christmas mean to you?  I reached out to my friends and asked what Christmas meant to them.  Here are some of the comments I got.  Hey guys, thanks for sharing!

“I love to put my Nativity in my barn with Heralding Angels announcing Christ’s birth.  It means we get to sing Christmas carols, which brings great joy to my heart.” – Deb

“Family.” – Otto

“Hope and light in the darkness.” – Miriam

“Time spent with family.  This is becoming more difficult due to aging parents and complicated extended family situations.  Times and family dynamics are changing.  Sad, but trying to adjust.” – Diana

“Faith.” – Tammy

“Thinking of others.” – Aerie

“To me Christmas means a time of hope where God with favor towards mankind gave us the greatest gift of all by sending his Son Jesus Christ.  Sometimes it’s easy for me to get distracted with all the business that goes along with Christmas that I forget to really reflect on its true meaning.” – Cindy

“Jesus Birthday.” – Ruth

“Spending time with the ones you love.” – Cathy

“Happy birthday, Jesus.” – Marcy

“Christmas to me is all about family and friends getting together to share love and light.” – Rachel

Take time this holiday to ponder why you celebrate Christmas.  Check out the story about Jesus’s birth in the New Testament, it’s worth the read.  Then, go give a little of yourself by showering someone with some generosity.

The magic of Christmas is not in the presents, but in His presence. May you feel surrounded by His love this holiday season and wishing you many blessings for the New Year.  

 May you be blessed with God’s Ultimate Christmas Gift!

Merry Christmas,

Gwen

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