Christmas Means a Little Bit More

When you're young, you don't have to go searching for the magic Christmas feeling, it's seems like it's always automatically there. From the moment the Christmas music starts playing on the radio and the town begins to be lit up with Christmas lights, the wonder begins. You press your little nose up against the windows of the stores, glance timidly at the mall Santa's, dance around to Christmas music, watch Christmas movies and read the Christmas story...you breath it all in and eat it up. The magic, mystery and wonder surrounds you, the excitement accumulates and everyday of December is a day of Christmas celebration. You can truly feel the Christmas spirit. 
          However, as you get older, the magic fades. The stores put up their Christmas decorations, you cock your head and say "Already?" You still love Christmas, it's your favorite time of the year, but you just can't grasp the wondering, powerful, Christmasy feeling you once possessed as a child. That's why it's so common to hear the teenagers and adults say "It doesn't feel like Christmas." So, you decide to go chasing after it, since it doesn't come to you, you will go seeking after it. You munch on candy canes, gaze admirably at the Christmas tree, go Christmas shopping. We wrap presents, watch the snow (if there is any...), admire Christmas lights, watch Christmas movies, put on your elf hat and tree skirt and dance around to 'Rock'en Around the Christmas tree' and sing Christmas songs. Then you sit there and say why isn't it Christmasy? What more can I do? This feeling I had, why is it something that can only be felt in the minds and hearts of the kids?! What is this!?!
When we sit back and think, really think about what Christmas is about, we start to grasp it again. Sure, we hear it all the time, people say: "Remember the true meaning of Christmas." 
"Yes yes." We say as we pull on our boats to go and fight the Christmas shopping crowds. "Baby Jesus, nativity, true Christmas spirit, got it."Then shrug it off as we go on our merry way. But no! Stop! Stop and think about what Christmas is truly about. Our Savior was born for us!
          That's why we celebrate Christmas, because our Heavenly Father loves us

so much, He sent His son to Earth to live and die for us. The baby in the manger is the reason we all have hope. He is the way we can all return back to our Heavenly Father one day. At this time of the year, we celebrate His birth and all He's done for us. President Monson said, “Christmas is what we make of it. Despite all the distractions, we can see to it that Christ is at the center of our celebration. If we have not already done so, we can establish Christmas traditions for ourselves and for our families which will help us capture and keep the spirit of Christ.” President Uchdorf also said; “Of course, we do not need a Christmas holiday or Christmas traditions to remember Jesus Christ, the Savior. … May each Christmas season remind us to lift up our voices and fill our hearts with joy and gratitude that Christ the King has come! Christ lives! He is real. He is our Redeemer at Christmas and always.” He is our Savior, he lives and loves us. That is truly what Christmas is all about. And so, maybe the Christmas spirit isn't as unobtainable as we had originally thought. We go chasing after a feeling that was there all along, we were just too busy worrying it wasn't there, to truly notice and appreciate it. 

So, we stand there like the Grinch with our feet ice cold in the snow saying "How could it be so? It came with out presents. It came without tags! It came without packages boxes or bags! He puzzled and puzzed until his puzzler was sore. Than he thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more." :) 

If you haven't seen the "He is the Gift" video or the record breaking nativity and hymn "Angels We Have Heard On High" Watch them now! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjFEMmM0Xs&index=2&list=PL7j5iXGSdMwe97tf4cKQUHTtt9srkF3K5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrLoWt2tfqg&list=PL7j5iXGSdMwe97tf4cKQUHTtt9srkF3K5&index=1