What does Christmas mean to you? Is it the food, decorations, or music? Most people know that Christians celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Christ, but it also means much more. Christmas seems to come around sooner and sooner each year. I was driving down the road in the middle of November and saw Christmas decorations up in the town square. I even heard Christmas music on the radio. Hallmark is already releasing their 12 original Christmas movies and Christmas decorations are being sold in stores.
Children dream about a white Christmas full of snowball fights and building snowmen. They have, “T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,” committed to memory. I slept on my couch with milk and cookies near by, just to get a glimpse of Santa Clause. Kids hope and pray that their letter made it to the North Pole with promises that they have been good all year in fear that coal will be in their stocking. First graders make ornaments for the tree, a Christmas countdown chain and sing carols to the other classes. They have a holiday party where they eat cookies, candy canes and hot chocolate while watching the Polar Express. After waiting for December 25th to roll around each year, they finally receive the special toy they have been waiting for.
As you grow up, you learn that the presents are not the most important part of Christmas. Some people love when their family gets together for the first time all year. Others may enjoy decorating the tree with the people they love. You begin to pay more attention to the giving that goes on around this time of year. The canned food and coat drives are a staple each year at my church. People are more aware of the Salvation Army and begin to look in their closets and donate to the less fortunate. The local food bank has a waiting list for volunteers during the holidays. So much good happens around Christmas time because people discover how important it is to give back.

Gathering around the table with family that you hardly get to see is one of the best times of the year. Catching up on old times with childhood friends is always fun, but my personal favorite time of year is shopping for the people you care about. Thinking about finding the perfect gift that will put a smile on someone’s face makes me feel good. Christmas is so much more than the holiday of getting presents. It is truly the holiday of giving and love.