The real meaning of Christmas
published: Tuesday | December 24, 2002
THE EDITOR, Sir:
CHRISTMAS IS a sentimental time to many folks, who tend to dream about the white Christmases of yesteryear.
Often, Christmas Day gets lost in the days and weeks surrounding it. In fact, many Christmas cards and signs simply state "Season's Greetings," with no mention of Christmas. Christmas trees, decorative and colourful lights, are part of this festive so-called Christmas season.
This sentimental almost fairy-tale-like idea of Christmas is carried to the extreme in the story that many parents tell their young children about a jolly old man with a long white beard named Santa Claus, who supposedly flies through the sky in his gift-laden sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.
There's so much more to Christmas than trees, decorations, Santa Claus, presents and all the make-believe and materialism associated with it today. Christmas is celebrating the day that God sent his love into the world, in the form of a tiny, weak and helpless baby, almost 2,000 years ago! He was born to a simple, humble young woman who miraculously conceived, having never slept with any man.
In fact, the news of her pregnancy was so shocking that when the man she was going to marry learned about it, he promptly decided to break the engagement and call off the wedding - until a powerful heavenly being intervened and convinced him to stay with her and rear and protect this very special child she was carrying. Merry Christmas!
