The Christmas Spirit

You know, it's funny how a small change can sometimes have a huge impact. For example, the giving of gifts on Christmas was originally intended to mimic the wise men who gave gifts to Christ. Now modern society seems to have turned it from giving gifts to getting gifts and created a multi-billion dollar industry around the Christmas season. There is so much pressure to give bigger and better things, to make sure people get better gifts than last year, or to out-do somebody else.

I think too many people ask "what did you get for Christmas?" and not enough care if we actually get closer to Christ on His birthday celebration. It's so close. We try to have the spirit of giving at Christmas and we try to live up to expectations. However, I think that many expectations of the Christmas season are not about Christ at all. Perhaps that is where we got lost.

This Christmas season, in celebration of Christ's birthday, are we giving Him anything? The things He asks for are so simple, have no cost, but seem so hard to give. Do we strive to be better people or simply give better presents? Do we help the less fortunate or simply help ourselves? I know there are many people who sincerely help others and it is thanks to them that we have such an outpouring of goodwill at Christmas. That's the true spirit of Christmas. May we all strive to be a little better this Christmas and all through the year.

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