THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

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                                     THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS

                                       (For the local newspaper)

  It seems that the marketing and entertainment industries like to capitalize on this expression, and growing up, I could never figure it out. The typical emphases around Christmas are picturesque lights, Christmas trees, gorgeous decorations, gifts, celebrations, and Santa. Other themes that are fairly popular around Christmas are Christmas Romances. I suppose that’s because Christmas is considered to be a time of love. Mind you, two of my favorite Christmas movies which I watch every year, among others, are ‘Earnest Saves Christmas, and ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas.’ To me, neither seems to quite fit the popular trend, especially the Charlie Brown Christmas. I personally can most readily identify with the Charlie Brown Christmas because he finds the commercialism frustrating, especially seeing how his dog Snoopy was totally caught up into it. Since I was a kid I have always loved this movie, but as a youngster I couldn’t understand what the answer was regarding the true meaning of Christmas. When Linus gets up on stage and quotes the Bible story about the birth of Jesus Christ, I thought, “Well that’s nice, but how does that answer the question?” Now as an adult I realize that that is the answer to the question of the true meaning of Christmas. All the gifts, decorations, celebrations, and so on, as wonderful as they are, do not actually express the true meaning of Christmas, nor are they able to produce ‘THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS.’  In ‘Earnest Saves Christmas,’ right at the beginning he opens up the glove compartment of his taxi, and the camera focuses on a bold sticker he has on its door which reads – KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS.

   During the Christmases of old that I remember, the air was filled with the presence and peace of Jesus Christ. People everywhere were friendly and wishing neighbors, friends, and strangers “Merry Christmas!”- and actually speaking it comfortably. That Presence of the Lord which filled the air cannot be manufactured nor duplicated, especially by commercialism. Jesus truly is the REASON FOR THE SEASON. He is the Gift of all gifts which God has given to the whole world. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The angels announced His birth to shepherds on that night, and we continue to announce Him to this day. So actually, it isn’t about magic, it was/is something miraculous. The birth of Jesus Christ is the true meaning of Christmas and the ultimate reason for celebrating. With that in place, having either plenty, or little, we can genuinely enjoy all the wonders of Christmas. Let us honor Him, and love one another in deed and in truth as He commanded us to. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


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