67. True meaning of Christmas

Christmas day is just around the corner. I love the feel of Christmas season. I think it provides a wonderful opportunity to get together with our families, friends and church family. It also gives us some time to reflect on our year before the new season comes.

I think many people know by now that Jesus was not born on Christmas day. When the Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity as the state religion, he replaced one of the “sun god festivals” into “Jesus” day and it became the Christmas we know. Scholars say he was probably born during spring, not winter. However, I think it is still good that we get to celebrate the birth of Jesus every year.

When I was in my teenage years, I remember writing Christmas card to all the students in my youth group. I no longer do it but it was a good time for me to think about each person and what they meant to me. Though I spent very little money, Christmas was still very meaningful and fun season because of the people I was around with. I was a bit immature and too excited to think about Jesus that much during that time though.

However, Christmas season is now identified as “shopping” season. Retail stores are busy promoting boxing day sales, our inbox is getting bombarded by “deals of the week”. Though we are well aware of Christmas marketing tactics, it is not easy to stop looking at the fliers for good deals. We are busy filtering out all these fliers and advertisement and trying hard to keep our wallets closed.

In the midst of this shopping frenzy, it is important that we keep the right perspective of this season. Jesus was born in darkness, without any celebration or fanfare that any royal child got to receive. He was born in a shabby manger, so we can be born into the royal family of God. He came to be with the people he created and to save them.

Let’s take a moment to think about what we are celebrating this Christmas. People matter more than things we could buy. Let’s celebrate Jesus, and the people he came to love. It’s a love festival indeed!