How Christians Can Celebrate Christmas with the True Meaning in Mind

The Holiday season is upon us! With just that line, the enticing aroma of freshly baked turkey and dressing probably wafted into your imagination, or perhaps your mind immediately tuned in to your go-to Christmas Song, already anticipating its inevitable overplay in the coming two months. These thoughts are great, as they often connect us to shared moments with our loved ones. However, today, I aim to shift your focus from receiving experiences to giving them.

We are trained by our consumer-driven culture to experience the holidays with a tilt toward open-handed anticipation. Consider the start of your holiday season. Your holiday season more than likely started by asking your kids to make a list of the things they wanted. Next, you head over to the family group message, likely to become overwhelmed by the 150 unread messages, and you coordinate with the family to set days for Christmas celebrations. With these tasks accomplished, your budget takes shape, and your calendar is soon filled.

Let me begin by stating that my intention is not to show how buying gifts and dedicating quality time to your family is inherently a bad thing. My goal is to challenge you on if it should be the main thing.

Christmas is a holiday founded on the idea of setting a day apart to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world. To highlight the greatest gift of all time. A baby set apart from birth to be the avenue for the grace of God to be lavished upon mankind.

In Genesis chapter one, we are identified as “image-bearers of God.” In view of this, how can we reflect His image during the holiday season? Much like Jesus, who transformed ordinary life experiences into opportunities to reveal his identity to the world, what if we, as image bearers, dedicated our time and resources to displaying the sacrificial love of Christ this holiday season?

What would this concept look like in practice? The average household spends approximately $1,500 on holiday shopping and travel. Now, envision allocating 10% of those funds, around $150, to support a family in need. While $150 might seem modest, its impact is far-reaching. This amount could ensure that a family has electricity on cold holiday nights, alleviating stress and fostering a more comfortable atmosphere for their children. In many cases, parents may compromise on groceries to provide gifts for their children on Christmas morning. Your compassionate gesture could be the one that prevents a family from celebrating the holiday with empty stomachs, turning a simple act of love into a meaningful difference.

Sacrificial giving not only provides tangible benefits for those in need but also brings significant benefits to your own family. Primarily, it serves as a profound lesson for your children, offering them a firsthand understanding of how sacrificial generosity can positively impact lives. By involving them in the entire process—identifying a family, discerning their needs, and providing resources— you enable your family to actively embody the principles of the Gospel. This incremental change in your holiday season allows your family to go from attending church to becoming the church.

I write this message to challenge fathers and mothers who lead Christian households. Take advantage of little ways to live out your faith as a family. People all around need a God-driven experience. This holiday season, be the experience. Be the vessel God uses to answer a prayer.

This sacrificial act not only meets a tangible need but also gradually aligns your family with the image of the One whose birth we celebrate.