When Christmas Should Be About Everything Else.

A couple of my guy friends, who are new dads in 2023, and I started a 7day Advent devotional called Finding God in Advent: A 7-Day Dad Tired by Jerrad Lopes, themed specifically on the reality of how God always shows up. We share our thoughts on what we think God is saying to us through that devotional. It has been good for me as a dad-to-be to fellowship in thought and spirit with my friends who are new dads.

One of the devotionals talks about how often times, Christmas is made about everything except the most important reason, that Jesus was born to save the world from sin and eternal damnation. As I was sharing my thoughts in the devotional, I remembered how we used to celebrate Christmas in India growing up.

Living in a multi-faith country like India, Christianity is only 3% of the entire population. For non-Christians, Christmas is remembered as Christian holiday or a day off from the office or school. For them, Christmas is about everything else. But for us, as every Sunday church going believers, Christmas believers, and for me as a Pastors kid, somehow Christmas meant something more. More than everything else.

I would be lying if I said it was only about Jesus, because I still remember that I got excited to receive and wear brand new clothes, special Christmas-time-only-goodies made by my grandmas and sisters, Christmas special plum cake gifted to all the employees at my brother-in-laws company, Christmas special biryani that we cook and eat together as family, so much more. I have to admit, I have missed this the last five years, since moving to the US. Although I enjoy gift exchanging part in the US, which we did not do as much in India. As much I miss the Indian Christmas traditions, something more significant than everything else was, spreading the Christmas cheer and love as church and family.

All my life in India, I remember going to church on the day of Christmas. Our church has midnight Christmas Eve service and service on Christmas day, which was a huge part of our Christmas. After the Christmas service, we continued our festivities with our family. The real reason of Christmas to us starts at the beginning of November and goes on to the end of December. Building a 12' star and putting it on top of the church building indicating a savior is born, to our neighborhood, Christmas nativity plays (where I played the Herod's role while in student ministry), Christmas carols with our church families over a week, sharing Christmas cakes and goodies with non-believers and neighbors, and wishing them a "Happy Christmas" and finding opportunities to share about the real reason. I miss all of it since I have been in the US.

It should be all about Jesus.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace," Isaiah 9:6.

Jesus Christ is the real reason of the season. He is the Christmas cheer and no amount of everything else this Christmas without Jesus should matter if not without Jesus. The smallest traditions that Hayley and I create for our family as new parents we want to focus on the "big c" of Christmas, that is Christ. I pray and hope that whatever you do as friends, church, and family Jesus is at the center of your Christmas season. Merry Christmas for our family to yours.