When most of us think of Christmas we think of nice warm dinners around a table filled with family and loved ones. We also may think of the hassle to buy presents and rush here and there. To make sure everyone gets those Uggs they wanted or the Xbox 360 they were just dying to have. Making sure that the ham is cooked to par and making sure that no Christmas overlaps with another. We spend MONTHS prepping for this day when in reality it’s about the birth of Jesus who was born in the simplest. A king, born in a manger of hay. Not all the extra hoopla we make it to be. So let me tell you, Christmas is NOT all about the presents, or even the food, or even making sure all your family members get some time. Sure, it’s special and there’s tradition BUT many people don’t even get to eat a piece of bread or a glass of water let alone a big, extravagant meal. Some don’t get Uggs and Xbox 360’s, instead they get to spend their Christmas in a hospital paying off thousands of dollars of medical bills. Some people don’t have anyone to spend Christmas with. Their mom died last June, and they are going through a divorce. Many don’t get to find the perfect Christmas present for their child because they lost them to a terrible illness or because they just got laid off from their job and they are just trying to get by.

Many don’t get to buy or even receive expensive gifts because they work at the gas station and they are working Christmas day because they are $100 short on their bills that month. Many don’t have a family to go to, or even a home. Many spend their Christmas laying on the cold street covered in dirt Christmas morning, while you’re stressing what the perfect gift you should get that special someone. Although I love receiving and giving gifts, I also think about those who don’t even have this as an option. I think of those that are sick in the hospital, or those that just lost a loved one and don’t get to spend Christmas with them. I make sure I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, because it’s not about the gifts, it’s about being kind and spreading love. For remembering that the real reason is to celebrate the birth of Jesus not for our pleasures. Ultimately the gift of Jesus is the best gift anyone could receive. This Christmas I challenge you to not only think of yourself but simply say a prayer for those who might be hurting, or on the cold streets. Say a prayer for that child who is battling cancer, or for the family who just lost their child to cancer. To the woman going through a divorce and just trying to get by. And for the families who get to receive expensive, nice gifts as well. I ask that you pray for yourselves and for your loved ones and that you spread the love of Jesus as that is what they real meaning of Christmas is.