Christmas

I spent the last few weeks pretty Scroogy--let me back up.  Christmas items showed up in stores in July, can you believe it?  stockings and decorations were at the dollar store and it drove me crazy.  Then later I stopped to get an advent calendar and could not find one with a nativity on it, they were all toys and presents and Santa.  Christmas has become Santamas.  I was so frustrated by all of the materialism and marketing that Christmas has become that I didn't even want to put up the Christmas tree.  I did though, after Thanksgiving weekend I was ready and so we set it up.  I am so glad I did because among our Christmas decorations there are many reminders of what Christmas is all about--Christ.  We hang pictured of Christ to remind us of him during December, we have many different nativity sets, and Luke chapter 2 is read more in the month of December then all the rest of the year, I think we read it about every day.  The story of Christ's birth.

Tonight I remembered about the Christmas devotional about half way through, but I hurried to turn it on.  I am so glad I did. You can watch it here. http://lds.org/broadcasts/languages/christmas-devotional/2011/12?lang=eng President Monson spoke last and his talk really spoke to my heart.  He said "Christmas is what you make it."  He then went on to say that we can make Christmas traditions that help us make Christmas about Christ.  I realized that I did not have to feel so grumpy about what stores have done to Christmas because I can make Christmas about Christ in our home.  He is the center of our home all year around, but at Christmas I am happy to have a full month where I get to focus just a little extra on Him.  

I suppose it is hard for me to see the world becoming so far away from Christ.  So many seem to have forgotten that He is the only true and lasting source of joy.    I know that He is my savoir and that he came to Earth as a baby.  He came to die for me, and I know that He lives.  What glorious news for all of us!  He lives!