Christmas
the time of gifts
of family gatherings
of special food and drink
of decorated rooms and trees with lights
of little children asking Santa Claus for gifts,
of songs like Jingle Bells in well-stocked stores, of much excitement as children unpack
the full stockings they had hung up empty in hope on Christmas Eve now finding many small delights within
a whistle, cracker, orange, chocolate, or balloon before they find their gifts under the tree,
tear off the coloured paper wrap with hasty glee and happily try out the new toys they received.
What is the reason for our Christmas season? Why do we have a special holiday?
Why focus on spending time with family?
And why give presents and send cards to friends?
Do we even give such things a thought,
as we celebrate together and keep to our traditions, having parties and a massive Christmas feast?
Does the season bring to mind what happened when Christmas was inaugurated
some two thousand years ago?
And do we realise that the birth of Jesus is so important in human history
that we divide our time into BC and AD?
How unique is Jesus Christ?
Has any other man at birth
had angels in their thousands herald him in song?
Or had a special star that wise men saw which spurred them on to travel from afar
to come and worship him and bring their costly gifts fit for a king?
How could this child of poor parentage be such a threat to Herod who was king, that God told Joseph they must flee,
escape to Egypt, where Jesus was for years a refugee?
Did Gabriel indeed appear to Mary to announce
that, though she was a virgin, yet by God’s power upon her, she would conceive?
Did she really hear him say that the son that she would bear would be very great, and be called the Son of God,
who would reign on David’s throne forever
over an everlasting kingdom as the Prince of Peace?
What is the reason for our Christmas season?
Why celebrate with family, and why so many gifts?
Could it be that our holiday reflects that holy day when God gave in love to all men everywhere
the very greatest present of all time, a gift that they may choose
to receive or to refuse, His son, our Saviour,
Jesus.
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poem courtesy Jeanette Grimmer, December 2023