The Wonders of Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I certainly enjoyed mine. By now, Christmas season has begun and the end of 2013 is approaching. I can't believe it's going to be 2014 soon! With no movie updates to write about, let's start with our "days till" section before rolling right onto Joy's article for this week:

It is: 20 days till Christmas

It is: 27 days till New Years

Here's Joy Hammond's article for this week:

Now that Thanksgiving is done, I find myself scrambling for last minute shopping, and I mean last minute shopping, not the end. Christmas is just around the corner . . . actually it's less than a month away, but still, my point remains: it's not far away. I don't have a small and simple shopping list . . . nope, my list just happens to be about three lines long! It goes something like this: . . . get something special for my parents and my sister, while managing to save up money to pay off some long-overdue debts. I mean I owe $4 for lunch. Anyway, there are five things I just love about Christmas.

Christmastime truly is one of the best times of the year! Keep reading to learn what Joy likes about Christmas.

First, I just love Christmas decorations. My family and I always go riding in the car and drive around the block, just to enjoy all the lights. All sorts of figures and lights are set out on peoples yard, I just love seeing it all. It feels like the world is at peace. My dad always puts lights up on the roof of our house. My mom puts garland across the porch railing. Our tree is put up and decorated, mom insists we need another one (she has this ornament addiction!).

The decorating of Christmas trees has long been a favorite Christmas tradition.

Second, the Christmas music also takes part in this wonderful celebration. The music is all upbeat and warm. It talks about the fun and the compassion of others. I love listening to songs like: "When Christmas Comes to Town" (from "The Polar Express") or "Do You Hear What I Hear". Mom likes the song "When Christmas Comes to Town". Music has been an essential part in our history. I'm not sure what I'd be without music, I just love to sing.

Third, the cooking is another favorite, not just for me however, but my little sister. She absolutely loves to bake. All those different types of Christmas cookies and all those toppings to choose from . . . why it'd take me years to decided which one to eat first! There's so many different foods and drinks to have too, like eggnog, hot chocolate, or even pudding.

Talk about too many to choose from! All these cookies look delicious!

Fourth, you can't have a Christmas without gifts (well, you can but . . . where's the fun in that?)! Now most of the time this is where kids or adults can get a little . . . well you know . . . greedy. Not that every person is that way . . . anyway, most of the time it's the day of giving. People rush out and go shopping for gifts. That is what I like to do the best. I love going out shopping and giving gifts to others, and that's because whenever I get money . . . I have a hard time of saving it. So most of the time, I'd get things I don't need. However, when I think about others and I have money, I know that I'm doing some good and not putting the money to waste. I just love giving gifts . . . as long as I have the money of course. I wish there were more opportunities to give out gifts other that special occasions like holidays or birthdays . . . could there an exception?

The last AND certainly not least, is the most important gift Christmas could ever have! Well actually . . . Christmas isn't the actual date but, we commonly celebrate the most precious gift given to us: the birth of Jesus Christ. "Listen to what I say, the Child, the Child sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light", That is the last verse to the song, "Do You Hear What I Hear". The Child in a stable gave us more than the joy of a new life entering the world - He gave us our gift of salvation. “For God so loved that world that he gave his only son that whosoever believed in him shall not die but have eternal life”, John 3:16. "In the land of sin and hopeless, came a voice crying no more, come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest". Matthew 11: 28. Jesus Christ is THE most important thing (or person) during this time (and all times) of year (we will go into more detail about the true meaning of Christmas in another upcoming article).

This is a recreation of the nativity: Jesus as a baby, lying in Mary's lap with Joseph looking on.

I will leave you off with one last note: 

". . . maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store."

-Dr. Seuss

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