True Meaning of Christmas

I have noticed how much more Christmas seems to be getting commercialized over the years. Not just Christmas either, other holidays (Black Friday, Remembrance Day, Boxing Day) are getting more and more commercialized. In my lifetime Christmas and Boxing Day were commercialized to some degree or another, but it’s getting played up more and more (or perhaps I’m just noticing it more). However I know for a fact Black Friday in Canada is only a new concept from a few years back.

I know presents are a big thing and always have been in my lifetime as well. As a kid I woke up to find presents under the Christmas tree (that magically appeared there…amazing ;-) ). Even then we could get so focused on the presents we were receiving we forgot what the true meaning of Christmas was all about. To what gain, I don’t remember (and have not kept) every single present I have received.

Santa Claus is another big thing for Christmas. I understand how Santa Claus came about and such, which was great at the time, but somehow, today has played into the commercialism. Now do not get me wrong, my daughter has attended a couple of Christmas parties that did have a Santa there and she sat on his knee and received presents at both. I’m not about to jump into everyone’s faces to say “no we should not have Santa Claus here, how dare you!” I will participate and will have fun. I just think that in society today Santa is a big ploy in the commercialism and the distraction from the real true meaning of Christmas.

We are also just so busy come Christmas. A Christmas Party here, a gift exchange event there, shopping and baking, Christmas concerts and of course decorating; so many things to do and so little time to do it. Or is that really the case? Are we perhaps just so busy that we lose focus on the true meaning of Christmas, and I believe the true meaning is much simpler than how we make it out to be today.

Family is another big one that is seen as the most important thing about Christmas. While I agree that yes family is important and I do spend Christmas with my family, I do not believe that it is the most important thing. Plus there needs to be another reason for Christmas for those out there who do not have any family.

It started with a woman who was very faithful and took on a task that could have shunned her (had God not stepped in and changed things); a man who stood by this woman’s side through it all and a stinky old livestock transportation port in a manager because the inns were full.

Luke 2:16 – “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”

That’s where the real meaning of Christmas began.