Excitement is rising in our house as there are 2 more sleeps till Christmas Day! I love the countdown to Christmas, I love the time with friends exchanging gifts, I love the visits to see Santa, I love the Christmas lights and driving round to find the best ones, I even love the late night wrapping of presents! I love the anticipation of the big day.
I wonder … what do you love about Christmas?
Premier Christian Radio have launched their Christmas campaign with a statement that one is five people will be lonely this Christmas
This is quite a shocking figure isn’t it? I know lots of churches will be holding Christmas Services and lunches on Christmas Day especially for those who are alone - which is a wonderful thing.
Christmas for me is always with my family as they are the people I love to be with at Christmas – but we have often invited people we knew would be alone at Christmas - friends, family and, one year, one of my old lady students.
I wonder … who do you love to be with at Christmas?
I want to share this letter that has been shared on Social Media from a teacher to a parent:
Dear Parents at Christmas
I know at this time of year there is pressure to create a perfect magical Christmas. I know that you want to give them the magic of Santa and ensure he brings the best gifts and sometimes that means a bit of stress for you but I’m writing to tell you a secret. I’m writing to tell you that every January when your child comes back to school they tell me about the Christmas holidays.
They tell me about the days when everyone stayed indoors and watched TV. They tell me about the walk in the freezing cold to get to McDonalds. They tell me about staying at Nan’s house and them being excited about when you came back from work. They tell me about how you let them snuggle in your bed. They tell me about how you played cards and how you took them swimming one day and forgot their towel. They tell me about a visit to a friend on New Year’s Eve and how they stayed up till midnight. They tell me about how they loved staying in their Pyjamas some days. They mention their gifts but for them Christmas is you and your love, and your time and routines and feeling safe. You are their favourite thing!
Merry Christmas!
This is such a powerful letter and shows us all how easily we can get caught up in the secular excitement and magic of Christmas yet feeling love and being with those who you love is enough.
We love because Jesus first loved us. Jesus is love and so Christmas is love. We know it isn’t about the countdown, the gifts, the lights, the anticipation … it is about the gift of love and that gift is Jesus – Jesus gave of himself. The gift of love is available to us all, just as you are. Wherever you are reading this know you are loved by Jesus so much and Christmas is the proof.
I wonder how you will share your love this Christmas?
I wonder how you will share the love of Jesus this Christmas?
Robbie Williams has released a Christmas song this year – a time for change.
“A time for change must be here, so send all your loving out into the world it’s your gift”
And we know of course it’s the gift of Jesus that we must share.