Bella's Beautiful Life

Christmas has meaning for everyone that celebrates it. Even if you aren’t a Christian and don’t believe in religion. It has to have some meaning to you or you wouldn’t celebrate it. The meaning for you may be materialistic (shopping for and giving/receiving gifts) or because it reminds you of your childhood and family.

What is Christmas if you don’t know what it means to you?

For me the main meaning behind Christmas is the birth of Jesus. Throughout my life, one of my family’s main Christmas Eve traditions has been for us to go to a Christmas Eve, candle light church service. Even when the services aren’t very good, they always serve as a kind reminder that Christmas does mean something more. At home on Christmas Eve we typically read the Christmas story from the bible, before we read The Night Before Christmas. Without Jesus’ birth there would have been no significant reason for the world to start celebrating Christmas. To me the history of Christmas, even aside from the birth of Jesus, is really interesting. If you have the time, over Christmas break I’d encourage you to learn the history of the Christmas story, the Christmas tree, yule log, Santa, etc.

With all that aside, Christmas and the things that go along with it have many meanings to me. Here are some Christmassy things and what they symbolize to me as I think about what Christmas means to me.

• A Christmas tree: There is growth and life even in the dead of winter.
• Candles: Whether they are luminarias, menorah candles, or a simple candle, they remind me that Jesus is the light of the world.
• Candy canes: They’re shaped like a staff and remind me that the Lord is our Shepard. The red and white represent when he went to the cross.
• Peace: The holidays, always makes me realize that we are happiest when we are home, away from society. Busyness in our daily routines often cause the opposite of peace which is never a good thing.
• Stars: Stars are everywhere at Christmas time, subtly representing the Star of David. They remind me that even when it’s dark and we can’t see, somewhere there is still light shining.

When it’s said and done, Christmas to me means God, family, friends, love, and a pause from the busyness. I hope you all have a great Christmas Eve 🙂