Christians from different countries, and cultures celebrate Christmas differently. But unfortunately, many people stress about Christmas. People stress about gifts, special meal preps, parties, and even travel plans. So, stress robs them of the commemorative intentions of Christmas. My Christmas wish for all of us is to have a meaningful Christmas celebration. Here are my three suggestions.
1. Center on the right intention.
Setting the right intention for celebration will create a strong momentum that would lead to a meaningful Christmas. The angel revealed this intention to the shepherds when he said, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11.
The intention of Christmas is to proclaim that Jesus was born to save. But sadly, in most cases, this has been eclipsed by our traditions. Every year, people spend an enormous amount of time, energy and money preparing for Christmas, but seldom do people prepare to share who Jesus was and what he came to do on earth.
Intentionally work on a plan to talk about Jesus with your family and friends on Christmas Day. In your conversation mention what the angel said about Jesus – He is the Savior, the Messiah, and the Lord. In other words, the Jesus of Christmas is the same Jesus of Good Friday. This is good news for people because Jesus was born to pay for our sins, and we can receive the gift of eternal life. Not too many people want to hear this truth. Nonetheless, God placed you there, to be the announcer of this good news.
2. Consider staying healthy.
Christmas is a peak selling season. Credit cards use is up. So many sales to go to, parties to attend, gifts to buy, and Christmas dinner to prepare. Incidentally, the Christmas season can be physically deadly, Dr. Navjot Sobti, he says, “‘Tis the season for family time, festivities and -- for some people -- holiday heart attacks. While the holidays are a moment of celebration, it is also one of the deadliest seasons of the year. Research has shown that fatal heart attacks are highest during the holidays. One study led by researchers at the University of California San Diego demonstrated that more cardiac deaths occur on Christmas Day than any other day of the year, peaking again on New Year’s Day.”[1]
Your schedules can overburden you and give you stress. It would be wise to come to the Lord and ask for His help. The Bible teaches in Proverbs 3:5-6, “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” We must entrust our thoughts to the Lord, even before we make any plan. This way, He can guide us in planning through His word. So many of us go beyond stress about Christmas because we do it outside of God. But God is promising good well-being to those who will trust Him and seek His ways.
To that end, you can also stay financially healthy when you consult God’s word. In Proverbs 22:7, the Bible warns us to be very careful before making a large loan. “7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” We may become a slave to credit card companies. We should think a hundred times before we tap our cards. Discern what is truly needed and segregate the wants. Don’t buy just because your friends has it. Buy because you need it and if you’re sure to use it often. Also, you might want to wait a little longer before you buy. This will give you time too really shop around for the best deal.
3. Celebrate together as a church.
The Bible teaches that the birth of Jesus is not good news to everyone. King Herod could not celebrate the first Christmas because his kingship was threatened. See Matthew 2:1-5.
The good news that the angel announced is not limited to Christ’s birth. It is not complete without the fact that Jesus came, paid the price for our sins, and gave us eternal life by believing in him. How many times do we have to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Once a year, right? But how many times are we commanded to remember the death burial and resurrection of Jesus? Every time the church meets. Do you get the point? The church must always come together to celebrate Jesus and His promise of eternal life.
The Bible teaches that the church must remember the good news that Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection brought eternal life to us who believe. Moreover, the church must continue to break bread and proclaim Jesus’ imminent return. See 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
[1] ABC News, Dr. Navjot Sobti https://abcnews.go.com/Health/holiday-heart-attacks-make-season-deadliest-year/story?id=74608210