Unwrapping the True Gift: Celebrating the Savior

Officially less than a week until Christmas! As the holiday whirlwind intensifies, it's easy to find ourselves caught up in the rush of decorations, shopping, and festive feasts. Yet, beneath the layers of tinsel and the glow of twinkling lights, there lies a profound reason for our celebration—the birth of Jesus Christ. In the midst of the bustling season, I want to encourage you to pause with me to unwrap the true gift of Christmas. Let’s spend time this Christmas integrating meaningful moments of celebration into your hectic schedules.

The Heart of Christmas

Remembering why we are celebrating is crucial– reconnect with the heart of Christmas by delving into the biblical narrative of Jesus' birth. Paul David Tripp, in his Advent devotional says it like this, “Jesus left his lofty place to rescue glory thieves who insert themselves into his place and make it all about them.” Those are pretty harsh words, but if we really meditate on them, we will see that he is right. We can probably recognize more than just the “correctness” of it, and recognize ourselves in that description, too. We all want people to do things our way, to have our world revolve around us. God’s rescue mission was to save us from ourselves and show us a better way. When we give glory to God and make it all about Him, we are living out our purpose in life. I plan to set aside a quiet time each day to read and reflect on the Gospel accounts. I encourage you to join with me and let the miraculous story of God's love and redemption permeate your heart, providing a solid foundation for the season's festivities.

Advent Reflections

Another way to center the week on Christ is incorporating Advent reflections into your daily routine. Advent calendars and devotionals are wonderful tools to guide your thoughts toward the true meaning of Christmas. The YourVersion Bible App has several Advent reading plans, some as short as 3 or 5 days– so, it’s not too late to join one. Each day, take a few moments to contemplate the promises fulfilled in the birth of Christ, fostering a spirit of anticipation and gratitude.

Christ-Centered Traditions

Something that is especially valuable is infusing Christ into your family traditions. One year, I downloaded a Christmas countdown chain to make, where each link was a name of Jesus and a corresponding verse that described Him. Each day as we took off one link of the chain, we read the name and the verse together and talked about it. Find Christmas story books that are age appropriate for your kids. Ones that we have enjoyed are Jotham’s Journey and Bartholomew’s Passage, both written by Arnold Ytreeide. These two books are good for elementary age kids, but we read them when we had elementary and preschool age kids, as well as teenage and elementary age kids. Whether it's reading the Christmas story together, singing classic hymns that proclaim the Savior's birth, attending a Christmas concert or Christmas Eve church service, create rituals that anchor your celebrations in the joyous truth of Jesus' arrival.

Serving Others in Jesus' Name

One of the most beautiful ways to honor the Savior is by serving others in His name. One of our favorite traditions in serving others has been ringing the bells for the Salvation Army. We got started doing it through our church and my kids and I have continued doing it ever since. Last year, my youngest son and I were scheduled to do it near the end of the season, and something happened and it got canceled. I was a little relieved, but my son was really disappointed because it’s a tradition he really looks forward to. We are back on the schedule to do it this year, and are hoping it doesn’t get canceled. Another simple thing we do is put out a small table on our front porch with some snacks and water and a note for the UPS, FedEX, and USPS drivers to thank them for delivering packages. These are just some examples of things we’ve done in the past (and continue to do/find valuable) but I want to encourage you to identify practical ways to show love and kindness to those in need, reflecting on the care and compassion of Jesus. This might include volunteering, donating to charities, or simply being a source of encouragement to someone going through a difficult time.

In the midst of the seasonal chaos, let's intentionally carve out space for the true reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus, the Savior born to bring hope, joy, peace, and eternal life. As we embrace the significance of His birth, may our hearts be filled with gratitude and our celebrations be infused with purpose. Let me know in the comments how you keep Christ at the center of your Christmas. Wishing you a Christ-centered, joy-filled Christmas season!