December 1st. 24 days till Christmas. Love
Of all the gifts of Christmas, and the wonders all around, the greatest part of Christmas, is love. In the timeless classic, The Christmas Box, it was asked, "What is the first gift of Christmas?" The answer was, if I remember right, love, especially the love that was expressed when Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to us here on Earth. Christmas is a time for us to reflect on Jesus Christ, and all He did for us. During this Christmas season, love is all around. I am so grateful for this wonderful Christmas season.
December 2nd. 23 days till Christmas. Family
I come from a family of twelve children, and I am fifth from the oldest. I love my family! It always made Christmas so special with all of us sitting around and enjoying each other's company and what not. And the most amazing thing is that because of Christ, we can be together with our families even after we die. I find great comfort in this, and am so grateful to Christ for such an amazing blessing.
December 3rd. 22 days till Christmas. Friendship
What would life be like without friends? Friends are a wonderful part of this great season. Friends are those who are always there for you, and who will stick by your side both during the hard times, as well as the good times. And who is a better friend than Christ himself? He will always be with us, and is there to help us through the thick and thin. He has promised to help shoulder our burdens, and make them light. And, He lived and died for us. Could there ever be a better friend than Christ?
December 4th. 21 days till Christmas. Food
As I am sure many of you know, I like to talk about food a lot. Probably more than is healthy. Oh well. Food is one of my passions in life. And what would Christmas be like without a nice feast? And well, if not a feast, at least there is always egg nog, right? As much as I love feasting on ham, pie, mashed potatoes, and all that good stuff, don't forget to feast spiritually in a season of such abundance, where everything around us reminds us of Christ and His goodness in our lives.
December 5th. 20 days till Christmas. Holiday Cheer
In the Book of Mormon, it says that "men are that they might have JOY" (2 Nephi 2:25). During this wonderful month of December, it is hard not to find joy, even in the little things. There is so much good during this wonderful time of the year. And, sometimes there are things we go without. But, I know that true joy comes as we celebrate all the things we DO have, and all the wonderful things Christ did for us. It brings a smile to my face every time I think about it.
December 6th. 19 days till Christmas. Snow
Well, so far, I have not seen even a single snowflake. But, I have my fingers crossed, and am hoping for a nice, big blizzard. There is nothing like sitting in a nice, cozy armchair with a cup of hot chocolate, while the snow billows around outside. I love how pure snow is, and that it brings fresh new life. Through Christ, we too, can be pure, just as the freshly fallen snow.
December 7th. 18 days till Christmas. Presents
Alright, I will admit, I love presents! They are a grand thing! Yes, admittedly it is a lot more joyous of an experience to give than to receive, but still, there is nothing wrong with finding pleasure in receiving gifts as well. And, as the giving and receiving of gifts is done in the right spirit, all are filled with joy. Such particularly applies to Jesus Christ. He was the greatest of all gifts, given from a loving Heavenly Father above. Not only does that fill me with such great happiness, but imagine how happy it makes our Father in Heaven when we accept Christ into our lives, and do our best to follow Him, and apply His teachings. Thus, the Giver, our Father in Heaven, and the receiver, us, are both edified and filled with joy.
December 8th. 17 days till Christmas. Christmas Colors
Between Christmas trees, ribbons, poinsettias, holiday mugs, colorfully-wrapped gifts, snow, stockings, ornaments, wreaths, and a variety of other things specific to this season - red, white, and green are everywhere! Each color reminds me of different things. Green always takes me back to Washington, where EVERYTHING is green! To me, and many others, it is the color of life. Through Christ, there is new life. Red is the color of blood, and it was through Christ's blood that we can have new life, and become pure. Purity is often symbolized as the color white. As we see the colors of Christmas all around, we need to take time to reflect on Christ, and all He did and does for us.
December 9th. 16 days till Christmas. Music
I am one of those people that like to listen to Christmas music all year round. But, at the same time, I don't listen to it half as much as during Christmas. I mean, with all the music there is, there is no way you could listen to it all in just one week, or even one month. Still, that's just me. So, for all you people who only listen to Christmas music during December, how in the world do you decide which music to listen to?! I mean, it's all pretty good, but there is some music that is definitely better than others. Well, good luck! And just like music, during this season of so many sights, smells, and things to do, how do you decide where to put your emphasis on, and how much time to spend in all of the various activities? I mean, it's all pretty good, but some things are better than others. Might I suggest that Christ is the best thing to be focusing on, and those activities that direct our thoughts to Him would be the best?
December 10th. 15 days till Christmas. Service
I thought it would be appropriate to put this one for today since this morning, my companion and I had the opportunity to help out our local Methodist church give gifts and things to the community. It was a lot of fun, and I left there a much happier and better person. What better way can we celebrate Christmas, than by helping bring this wonderful season into someone else's life? Just as Christ spent His whole life in service to others, so too should we strive to give of ourselves each day, especially during this season.
December 11th. 14 days till Christmas. Santa
Whether you believe in him or not, Santa is unarguably a sign of Christmas. I once read a book that talked about how Santa and Jesus Christ are similar in many ways. They both wear red. They both bring joy wherever they go. They both give gifts. They both teach us that we too must give, in order for us to receive joy. Whenever people ask me if I believe in Santa, I tell them that I do, because for me, Santa is one more piece of Christmas that represents Christ!
December 12th. 13 days till Christmas. Christmas Trees
We have had our little Christmas tree up since about Thanksgiving. It stands about 2 foot tall, and has fiber-optics. It reminds of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. But, regardless, it is our little tree, and I am just grateful to have one. Being from Washington, Christmas trees are everywhere! And the best part about them is that they never hibernate, but are always green! For me Christmas trees are a good reminder that after we die, and are resurrected, we will never die again, but we will live forever! And it is only because of Christ that all men will be resurrected and live forever! How grateful I am for such a wonderful gift!
December 13th. 12 days till Christmas. The Nativity
A tradition we have in my family is to read the Christmas story in Luke 2, that tells of Christ's birth. I love that story, and every time we read through it, I can picture myself there, seeing the newborn child, and being filled with joy that He has come!! I can only imagine. And that, my friends, is exactly the reason for the season - to remember Christ's birth!
December 14th. 11 days till Christmas. Traditions
Reading the Christmas story each year is one tradition my family had. Another tradition we have is to clean the house before we open presents, because Heaven knows there is no way we would do any cleaning once we have opened all our presents and begun playing with our toys. These and other traditions have brought us closer together, and have created memories and bonds. These traditions will last a lifetime. Living the Gospel and following Christ are also traditions, and will always tie us to those who also follow Him. And following Christ is a lifetime tradition, one that we can keep alive always in our hearts, especially during this wondrous season.
December 15th. 10 days till Christmas. Apple Cider
With a chill breeze in the air, at least for some of us, there is nothing better than to sit down, curled up in a nice, warm blanket, sippin' some hot cider. I have yet to find anything that can warm me up better than cider. Similer to cider, as I read from the scriptures this morning, (3 Nephi 21 - 24 to be exact), it also warmed me up inside, like nothing else can. I am so grateful for the words of Christ, that bring warmth and light into all of our hearts and homes.
December 16th. 9 days till Christmas. Lights
Yet another tradition we have in my family is to drive around town a few days before Christmas and look at all the lights around town. Some houses are always super bright and beautiful. Some are less bright, but still a joy to look at. And for some, the only light that is on is the porchlight. In the scriptures, Christ tells us that He is the Light that we are to hold up. Throughout our lives, and especially at Christmastime, we have a chance to shine Christ's lights for all to see. Shine the light!
December 17th. 8 days till Christmas. Ornaments
For our little 2-foot tall tree we have in the apartment, I am sure that even a single ornament would probably cause our tree to fall over. But, back home, we would always take time to decorate the tree with with the little trinkets and things that we have collected over the years, each with a special memory attatched, and a story to tell of its own. During this season, it is a time to not only reflect on the memories we have made with our families, but also to reflect on the memories we have made with Christ, as we have followed Him, and seen Him bless our lives.
December 18th. 7 days till Christmas. Wreaths
So, I can only remember a few years where we actually had a wreath. Regardless, I have always thought the wreath was pretty cool! And, because of it being in the shape of a circle, which never ends or begins, we can remember that because of Christ, we too will live forever and have everlasting life.
December 19th. 6 days till Christmas. Warmth and Fire
One of my favorite things to do is to sit by a nice, warm fire, while the snow and cold billows around. And this is always done best at Christmastime, when family is gathered around, and memories and thoughts are shared, or as someone reads from the Christmas story. It's at these times that the meaning of Christmas is most brought home to me, and I am filled with a love and warmth as I am brought to reflect on that event over 2,000 years ago, when God, because of His great and abiding love for us, sent His Son, even Jesus Christ, to the world.
December 20th. 5 days till Christmas. Candy
I will admit, I have a sweet tooth. As I partake of the season's delicious hosts of treats, including popcorn, peppermint canes, chocolate, cookies, fudge, and others, I am filled with delight! I am brought to reflect on a scripture: "And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is" (Moroni 10:6). So, even things such as sweets can bring us to remember that every good thing, sweets included, testify that there is a Christ, and that He is the Savior of the world.
December 21st. 4 days till Christmas. Christmas Carols
Every carol we sing has a message of its own. There are carols about reindeer, Santa Claus, snow, and of course, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Though they are varied and many, in some way or another, they are celebrating this wonderful season. We too, are like carols. We all vary differently. But, we all can live our lives in such a way as to bring praise and glory to God. Let us always strive to be even as Christ is, and be a carol to His name.
December 22nd. 3 days till Christmas. Snowmen
I love the snow! I love it, in part, because it is so easy to make things with, especially snowmen. And it is always ten times better to build a snowmen with a friend. Just like that snowmen, we too, can build our lives, and change and grow, with our Greatest Friend helping us along the way, even Jesus Christ.
December 23rd, 24th, and 25th. Time for Christmas!!!!!!!!! Elves, Reindeer, Chimneys, the Sleigh, and sooooo much more!!!
And what do these all have in common? They are all helping Santa, in their own special way! This blog has been all about Christ, and how all these wonderful things associated with Christmas can all bring us to remember Christ. But, it isn't just about remembering. Just like the reindeer, elves, and other things, we need to be His helpers! The greatest gift we can give to not only others, but to Christ Himself, is to give to others of ourselves. We need to be Christ's Helpers, His Hands and His Feet! That is why this season is so important to me. It reminds me not only about Christ, but about what I need to be doing for Him, not just during this season, but throughout the year, and every single day, for the rest of my life! I hope yall have a wonderful and merry Christmas as we strive to be a little more like Him!!! God bless you!!
