A wonderful Christmas despite all the stress

You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

The Christmas season is a very stressful time of year. In addition to your other obligations, there are gifts to buy and parties to organize; cookies need to be baked and homes require decoration. And of course everyone hopes for just the right amount of snow—enough to make things look festive, but not so much as to cause problems for travelers. Christmas almost becomes a chore as we try to create the perfect holiday experience for our loved ones and ourselves.

What kind of Christmas would you have if things didn’t come together like you’ve planned? What if you can’t afford the kinds of gifts you’d hoped to give? What if bad weather makes travel to a gathering impossible? What if you’re not very good in the kitchen and your treats end up in the garbage instead of on a fancy dish? What if you can’t get the strings of lights untangled or the kids break one of your favorite ornaments? If these kinds of things happen to you, what kind of Christmas can you have?

Let’s strip away all the fluff and clutter. When you push aside the wrapping paper and cookies and lights, what do you have left? You have the story of a young couple engaged to be married, the woman in her ninth month of pregnancy. But this was no ordinary pregnancy—the child within her was God’s own Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. An angel told Joseph to name the boy Jesus, because He was sent by God to save people from their sins.

Just as the pregnancy was unusual, so was the delivery. By law, every family had to return to their ancestral town to register—all part of a government census. So Mary found herself in a strange town on the night when her contractions started. But with so many travelers present, the only space available for rent was a stable for animals, and it was in these humble surroundings that the Savior of the world was born.

What is the essence of Christmas? Simply this: we need God in our lives, and He came to us. Jesus is royalty, yet He did not arrive in a palace; there was no fancy celebration. The Chosen One of God came to us where we live and work; He came in every day surroundings, so that even shepherds, dirty from working in the pasture, could come and welcome His arrival. Jesus Christ came to offer you His hand and His love. You can have a wonderful Christmas—all you need is Christ!