The True Meaning of Christmas

I have been wanting to write this post for awhile but I didn't really have the time with student teaching and I honestly didn't know how to bring it up.  However last Thursday I stayed up till 11 (a lot later than my 9pm time that has ruled my pregnancy) but I could not put this book down. 

Literally I bawled throughout the entire book.  Now I'm choosing to chalk this up to the fact that this short story is amazing and filled me with the spirit as opposed to the fact that I am pregnant and literally tear up at everything most things.  But this book presents a sweet reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and what matters most.

Although most people know that the true meaning of Christmas is in the name, Christ.  However this story presents something about Christmas that I hadn't ever thought about.  The first thing that the angel says to the shepards is found in Luke chapter 2, verses 10-14.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you ^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.

12 And this shall be a ^asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 ^aGlory to God in the highest, and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men.

Verse 10 holds the key...fear not.  What a simple yet profound phrase.  Because Christ was born each of us has nothing to fear.  I have nothing to fear because I know that he knows and loves me.  I am never alone, he is always looking out for me and will never leave me.  As long as I remember this I truly do have nothing to fear, none of us do.  When this thought hit me I was filled with a immense sense of peace and joy.  How can you know this and not be happy or full of peace?

This book helped solidify my appreciation for Mary and Joseph and all the challenges they faced bringing the Savior into this world.  It also helped ground me to what matters most this season, my relationship with my Savior and giving to those around me.  It also brought me peace on a topic that has continually come up and is at the forefront of my mind these days.    

Throughout this pregnancy the topic of having a baby so close to Christmas has constantly come up. In the beginning my due date was Dec. 29th so people would ask me if I was worried I would go into labor early and have his birthday on Christmas.  Then once we found out that the latest I would go is Dec. 23rd the questions changed to if I was worried about him not feeling special enough with his birthday so close to Christmas, and if I was worried about there not being enough difference between his birthday gifts and Christmas gifts.

From the beginning Jake and I have not been worried at all about this issue. We have  had a lot of talks about how magical we think it is to have a birthday in the month of December.  We both have a strong belief that you make a birthday special but that a birthday doesn't make you king/queen for a day or mean that the world centers around you.  Sometimes that means celebrating it on a different day or receiving gifts that count for both birthdays and Christmas.  Growing up in the church you realize that the world doesn't celebrate Christ's birthday on its actual day.  We choose to celebrate with the world at Christmas even through we know it is likely sometime in April.  I guess I don't feel too bad if we happen to celebrate his birthday on a different day and plan to remind him about Christ if it is a issue for him.    

We also grew up going to school on our birthday, working on our birthday and doing everyday things that go with growing up and everyday life and plan to raise our children with the same understanding and expectation.  With Jake having a birthday Nov. 29th, he frequently got larger gifts that counted for both his birthday and Christmas.  My birthday is 2 days after Valentines day so the older I got the more I also got large gifts that counted for both my birthday and Christmas.  So both of us have the understanding that it is ok to give large gifts that count for both Christmas and Birthdays.

This is just how Jake and I feel about birthdays.  I understand and know people who feel completely opposite, but for me this is why I am more excited about his birthday being close to Christmas than I am worried.  This book helped me find comfort in my belief about having a birthday close to Christmas.  There is nothing better than sharing the celebration of your birthday with the one person who will never let anyone down.  Having a birthday close to Christmas keeps the emphasis on what matters most in life Christ, being charitable and being surrounded by family.  Maybe I should strive to have all my kids birthdays close to Christmas...for now that is way to far out in the future I just want my first baby here before I think about another one.

I think everyone should read this book and think about the true meaning of Christmas, their relationship with Christ.