Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ with loved ones. Or at least that was the point of this holiday, because it seems that many have lost sight of what Christmas is really all about.
Between the decorations, the constant advertising, and the millions of Christmas lists made each year, it easy to see why we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. You can't go anywhere without seeing some sort of Santa decoration or sales sign in stores windows, and that's because it has become so commercialized.
People focus so largely on the materialistic side of it that they can't take time to appreciate the true meaning of this season. Around this time each year, kids will make sure to come up with a huge list of gifts for Santa, a figure that their parents claim gives them the presents under their tree on Christmas day. Don't get me wrong -- I always loved the idea as a kid of Santa delivering my toys to me that his elves made me, but I don't think I ever really appreciated what Christmas was all about until I was older.
Beneath all the glitz and glam, I came to a better realization that Christians all around celebrate this special day for the birth of Jesus who ultimately gave up his life for us. He did something so incredible and selfless for all of us, and as a child, I definitely did not appreciate it as much as I should have. I, like most other kids out there, loved Christmas mainly for the presents and didn't really understand what we were exactly celebrating and why.
It is sad to hear stories of kids crying because they didn't get the present they wanted or didn't get as many presents as they thought they would. It's even sadder hearing about parents who hate Christmas because of all the preparation and shopping that they feel they have to put into it. It has become all about the gifts, and not enough about the actual meaning.
While this is a day to celebrate Jesus, it is also a day to remember what Jesus did. Jesus helped those in need such as the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, the outsiders. He provided the help to anyone who needed it. As Christians, we have always been taught to love thy neighbor, and it's time we started acting on what our religion preaches. The Christmas season is the perfect season to feed, donate, and share some time with the lonely and homeless, as well as appreciating our loved ones that surround us. It's a time to really feel the "true spirit of Christmas" through the helping of others.
I am by no means trying to be Scrooge. I love Christmas just as much as the next person does, but maybe, just maybe, people can start to acknowledge again that there is more to Christmas than the fairy tinsel and the sparkling lights and the extravagant presents because if I were to ask kids today the question, "What is the true meaning of Christmas?" I'm afraid those things will be the most common answers.
