The Meaning of Christmas

A friend of mine and I were talking last night, mostly about Christmas and our plans and we both really like Christmas, but we came to the realization on how many people really don't like Christmas.  They told me to pay attention to when others were asked were they ready for Christmas, and the majority of the time the answer is "I'm ready for it to be over."

This extremely saddens me!  Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and giving in remembrance of why Christ came to Earth.  People have taken this holiday so out of context, all they see is misery.  Everyone looks at the presents.  Presents they are getting. Presents they have to get for family. Presents they have to get for Co workers. Presents they are getting people they don't even like.  Presents that cost more money than what they make in a year just to make a spoiled child happy for five minutes.  The one Present no one thinks of anymore was the first Present ever given on Christmas-Jesus.  If more people would think about why He came and what He did while He was here, and tried to do similar, they would be sooooooo much happier.  

My family has decided that we have so much more stuff than what we really need, that we are going to find people who can't afford anything for Christmas and spend our money on them.  We are all stubborn in our family, so everyone will still get everyone else a little something, but the majority of our Christmas money will go to someone less fortunate. (Next year, I will also be supporting only local stores and vendors for Christmas presents, if I don't make them myself, but that is a whole different rant in itself.) I believe our family will be so much happier doing this anyway.  We have always tried to help others around this season anyway, and we enjoy that more than when we get together and give our Christmas gifts to each other. We went to Kentucky last weekend to give away gifts and food, and that might as well have been Christmas day for me to see the gratefulness of those families. And then, last night at the nursing home, singing Christmas carols to those people and seeing them sing with us just made my heart soar. (I know that sounds cheesy, but that's how I felt.)  

I hope with just a week from Christmas that we (and I say we because I get caught up in this mentality too.) can remember the real reason for Christmas and that we can try to act like He did with love and compassion for others!