This past Saturday evening, we celebrated Christmas at my wife’s parent’s place.  Our family is traveling for Christmas, so we decided to spend some time with the extended family that would remain here while we were gone.  Well, the time finally came to open some gifts.  On a side note, three-year-old children can be very honest; and some of their answers are quite humorous.  The following is the exchange that I had with our three-year-old daughter before exchanging gifts:

Daddy: “Joanna, whose birthday is it?”

Joanna: “Jesus’ birthday!”

Daddy: “That’s right.  Since it is Jesus’ birthday, who should get the gifts?”

Joanna: “It’s my birthday!”

Daddy: “Nope.  Since it’s Jesus’ birthday, we should just give Him all of the gifts under the tree.”

Joanna: “No, it’s my birthday.”

Daddy: “No.  You already had your birthday.  What are we going to give to Jesus for His birthday?”

Joanna: “Trash [in reference to the left over gift wrapping that would be taken off of all her new toys].”

The truth is that Christmas has become about something that it is really not supposed to be.  We have made secondary things to become primary.  Even some very well-meaning people say that Christmas is about giving, when that is NOT true.  Christmas is about Jesus Christ; and as we consider Him, “giving” becomes a by-product.

So, what have my children learned in their short existence upon this earth?  They have learned to SAY, “Christmas is Jesus birthday.”  This is the standard answer that most Christians give.  What have my children really learned?  They have learned to SAY the right answer as a way to please their parents.  They have also learned that Christmas is about THEM and what they get.  Boy, isn’t that a contradiction with what Christmas is really all about?

I fully realize that there are many things already set in motion for this year that will not change; but what if for once, we really celebrated the birth of Christ by honoring Him TRULY.  Why not make the birthday cake for Him?  Why not dedicate the entire day to Him?  Give the gifts another time [maybe on the individual's birthdays] and save the hypocrisy of “Giving in His Name.”  Yes, we can show the love of Christ by giving as God gave; but emulating God is not the primary purpose of Christmas.  Considering and commemorating the Person of Jesus Christ is what Christmas is all about; and to think that we can justify abundant giving and wasteful spending as a way of emulating God’s gift is foolish.  When we consider Christ on December 25th, we then learn how to give SACRIFICIALLY the rest of the year.

Please don’t misunderstand, I love to see my children very happy when they open up presents; but what is the cost of this?  Have I sacrificed their consideration of Christ on the alter of my children’s happiness?  Will my children TRULY think of God’s GIFT when they open up all of the TEMPORAL toys that will only bring TEMPORARY HAPPINESS?  Were the gifts that the wise men brought designed for Christ’s consumption and temporary pleasure; or were they rather to honor Him?

Call it what you will, but does the overabundance of stuff teach our children more about Jesus or does it cloud up the TRUE message of Christmas?  Please understand, Christmas is preeminently to be a time when we celebrate Jesus Christ.  All other sentiments and traditions are merely byproducts which have assumed the throne above Christ on December 25th.  Christmas is NOT about the stuff, the singing, the baking, or even the family time.  Christmas is about Jesus Christ, and all of those other luxuries are made possible because of Him.  At the end of Christmas Day, will your family soberly ponder Christ or selfishly ponder stuff?  Stuff can be given another time, but on this Day we celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth.  So let it be!