THAT’S WHAT CHRISTMAS IS REALLY ABOUT

by
Maria Kyriopoulos

During the season of high spirits and heart felt wishes of good cheer to friends and family we forget the One who first told us to “be of good cheer”. Christmas is supposed to be focused around Jesus Christ and yet He is the last one on our mind.
When the word “Christmas” is mentioned memories abound of last minute shopping, wrapping paper strewn over the couches, tape stuck to the walls and cranberry sauce bubbling over the stove five minutes before a company of twenty are due to arrive. Of coarse there is no time to think about anything else when Christmas produces such chaos. Every year I put up Christmas lights mainly because it looks beautiful. My Christmas decorations and adorned tree make my house warm and cozy. The gingerbread-scented candles, hot apple cider brimming in our mugs and sugar cookies add to the ambiance and continue the traditions I’ve started in our family. I get so wrapped up in it all that it is a shock to realize that even I, a minister’s wife, can forget the most important ingredient of the season – Jesus Christ, the One who gave us a reason to celebrate.

Perhaps many don’t even stop and wonder why they celebrate or put up trees and lights, and it’s definitely a challenge to try and keep the true meaning of Christmas, as it’s become so commercialized and so material: People are teeming in the malls, planning menus, mailing out cards, (in which, I too participate). No one is really taking the time; to sit around the fire and read the Bible story while pondering the goodness and peace that Christmas should bring.
My mother never went to great lengths to decorate. She even threw the Christmas tree out when we got older. We spent time with family, roasting chestnuts in the fire, singing together, going to church. Simplicity was her motto and we each received one ten-dollar gift (no stockings please!). It was a deeply meaningful time, a central focus to our lives as it was a hundred years ago, when going to church was a way of life not just a once a year outing.

I recently read an article by Rona Maynard, who promoted spending Christmas at home. In her article, the writer explained how she tried spending Christmas abroad, in London, and although not a churchgoer, she went to a church and was disappointed with the service. “[It] had no white-robed choir”. Why go to church just for the sake of Christmas Day? And secondly, her reason was to find a church that had “a world-famous choir” with “not one but three organs”. There was no mention of finding a place so she could worship the Creator but she was looking for “the old-world ritual, the pageantry of the season” instead. In another article in the same magazine the question was asked, “What gift has meant most to you?” Many wrote in with every answer under the sun except the right one - Eternal Salvation.
I also get a little disappointed every year when I see displays of Santa as if he were the true Father of the season. The library display had various forms of “Christmas” books and only one that mentioned the nativity and that a story of children who were working on the play. Where were the books on Jesus Christ and his sacrifice leaving his throne on high to come to a lowly manger?

Christ came at a time when the people were being oppressed by Rome. He came to lift the burdens of the people, saying, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Today, we live in fear with terrorist attacks, illnesses, natural disasters, wars, famines, all over the world, lost loved ones, homes and means of livelihood. Amidst it all, though, the spirit of Christ is sent here to be our peace and salvation. “The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him”. That’s what we sing in ‘What Child Is This’. But do we mean it? When we sing ‘The First Noel’, “With one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord, That made heaven and earth of naught, And with His blood mankind hath bought”? In order to have this peace we must first accept Jesus in our hearts.

Though there are many differences between the first Christmas and today’s Christmas, there are a few similarities. As there was no room in the inn then, today there seems to be no room for Christ in our festivities and hearts. Secondly, Herod let out a decree to kill all children born in Bethlehem; people were sent to kill Christ since rumor was that a king was born. Today, people want to remove Christ from his own birthday, to destroy any traces of him starting with one thing at a time. For example: Halifax always sends a Christmas tree to Boston every year ever since they helped them in the Halifax explosion of 1917. But Boston complained that it said “Christmas” tree instead of “Holiday” tree on the box. I’m proud to say that Halifax replied, “If you don’t like it, send it back, but we refuse to label it Holiday Tree.” Three huge cheers for Halifax!!!
Unfortunately a courtroom in Ontario had a Christmas tree and some people were upset because it was a "Christian symbol"(which in fact is not), and they had it removed. If those people chose not to celebrate, fine, but what is wrong with Christian symbolism? Is it that dreadful and offensive? A minister handed out a Christmas tract and was rejected, but the man who rejected the tract his house itself was adorned with enough Christmas lights to supply the whole town with electricity! Why be a hypocrite? If you celebrate Christmas, isn’t it only normal to celebrate Christ’s birth?

It is a time of year when everyone can come together in the same mindset, seeking to help others, to give gifts, to be more openhearted to each other; there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing better than the spirit of Jesus can bring people together. Have you ever seen a Jew, a Greek, an Arab, a Turk, a German hug and be good friends? I have and I could bring you to more than one church and find all nations united under one roof (that’s more than the United Nations has accomplished).

I even feel closer to people this time of year, and somehow bold enough to approach and reach out to them. Maybe next year I won’t buy my kids five gifts each and shop for more decorations; maybe I’ll spend the money to buy gifts for those who are in greater need. And perhaps I don’t need to spend so much time decorating the tree and house so lavishly; I’ll take my children to sing carols to some lonely widows nearby instead. We should all try to do that, and not just once a year but also every day. a couple years ago, I baked some cookies and handed a box full to some neighbors, on top of each box I placed a Christmas tract. Last year I made homemade cappuccino. It only takes a small effort and a creative idea to reach out to some people who need to hear the good news. Let’s not keep Christmas to ourselves but share it with others.


When Leonardo De Vinci painted, “The Last Supper”, he asked a friend to give his opinion on it. His friend said the cup Jesus was holding was so wonderful and real. Leonardo then, took his brush and brushed over the sparkling cup. He did not want anything to detract from the figure of Christ. So let it be with Christmas that its commercial, material side does not consume us so much that we forget about Him, that we allow it to remind us of His love bringing our hearts and minds closer to Him.