Christmas Pressures and Christmas Treasures

Christmas. We all know the real reason for the season of Christmas. It is a time to immerse ourselves into the acknowledgment of, the teaching of, and the celebration of the birth of Jesus. There is no greater event in the history of mankind. This is the one true treasure.

Christmas. We plan months in advance. Most of the planning is what decoration theme to have, what gifts to buy for what person, what dinners to host, when to have the party, what parties to attend, and how you can get from point A to point B without going broke or disappointing someone. We have to have that perfect festive dress or suit for our babies, the matching family outfits and the best photographer with the best backdrop. Finding the perfect gifts that will light up the faces of our children and having enough gifts for our children so they will feel the magic of Christmas. Finding a meaningful gift for our spouse, our parents who have everything, the babysitter, co-workers, and the list goes on. These are the pressures.

In all those pressures you will find treasures. The fellowship we have at parties with family, friends and co-workers give us warmth and togetherness outside of the regular everyday life. The heartfelt feeling of seeing your children’s faces explode with joy when they see their favorite toy. The sight of the beautiful family photo on a Christmas card as you put it in the mail. The love we have for the people we spend our time with and the joy we find in being together in the season of all that is Christmas is irreplaceable. Teaching your children throughout the season the real reason we celebrate this time of year is a great treasure.

Remember, even though we know the real reason for Christmas, we want this to be the foundation of all that we do to celebrate. Make that your purpose for all that you do. Remember, throughout the pressures, find the treasures because they are there because of Him.

Marcia Gibney,
Director of Recreation Ministry