Our team at Legacy Coalition would like to share what Christmas means to each of us, and we would love to hear what Christmas means to you! (Please share in the comments below)
We also encourage you to be very purposeful in sharing with your family what Christmas means to you this holiday season. Enjoy!
Christmas is a reminder of God’s Good News!
Luke 2:10-11: “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
I John 4:14: “ The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the Word.”
John 3:16: “ For God so loved the world that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 1: 14: “The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory…..”
Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death but the GIFT OF GOD is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
– Tina Bradford, Director of Prayer
Christmas is a time to focus.
To me, Christmas is a time focused on gratitude for our Lord and Savior!
– Joannie DeBrito, Family Support Specialist
Christmas to me means – EASTER!
My heart turns toward the whole story – Jesus came as an infant because of my sin problem.
He came then for one reason, to redeem. To me, Christmas is all about Easter! I had a need. He is my solution.
While I celebrate our Savior’s birth, I’m mindful of the “why” – and thinking of what took place on the cross many years later. I’m thankful – and will praise Him through all of eternity for it.
– Jane Larsen, Director of Connections
Christmas is a time to remember the reason we celebrate.
Christmas means our special opportunity to read the Christmas Story with all our family who are present.
They look forward to it every year, and it reminds us all of the reason we celebrate!
– Barb Lorenz, Director of Grand Monday Nights
Christmas means getting out my nativity sets,
As each piece from each set is lovingly unwrapped, it is like receiving THE GIFT all over again.
Not just the gift of the nativity set but the gift of Jesus. A gift that never gets outgrown but grows with you, never wears out but renews every day, and never fades in interest or value but becomes more cherished every day.
May the spirit of Christmas be celebrated more than just one day a year.
– Deb del Villar, Director of Communications
Christmas means familiarity.
I have celebrated the arrival of God to our planet for 76 Christmases.
Familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt. Sometimes it breeds complacency, and we enter into the holy-day season with a ‘Ho Hum! Hum Bug!’ attitude of been there, done that.
How does one combat the Grinch who attacks our mind-less, thought-less, heart-less souls and dulls our exuberant shout ‘Thanks be to God’ for His inexpressible, indescribable gift (2 Cor. 9:15)!?
The repetition of rehearsing and reading Doctor Luke’s version of The Story (Lk 1-2), attending grandkids’ holiday programs, decking the halls and malls, and going to church celebrations and concerts without ‘pondering’ and preparing the soil of our hearts can keep the seeds of joy and hope from sprouting.
The Christ-mas story is encased with paradoxical drama, replete with extremes: fear and courage, sorrow and joy, questions and faith, wonderment and exclamation, despair and hope, and the reminder that absolutely nothing will be impossible with God!
In fact, that’s what sets our Great God above other ‘gods.’
Gabriel’s announcement, Zechariah’s silent response, Elizabeth’s joyful anticipation, and Mary’s magnificently stunning, prophetic song of praise (Lk 2:46-55) revive my joy to this mystery of the ages.
What an incredible account of God’s plan to quietly and oh, so silently enter into our world to then carry out His magnificent ‘save’ of all mankind… and me!
And then there’s the reality check that impacts and softens, no… breaks my heart and quickens my resolve.
Reflecting on the news of our day and comparing it with the news from 2100 years ago, I discovered similarities.
I am reminded that mankind is in need of being rescued, in need of a Savior, in need of Light to lighten our load and light up our world!
The hopes and fears of all the world are met in Thee, Jesus… You, who was and is God and Man, came in the fullness of time to dispel darkness and destroy sin, death, and despair.
That’s what all those pretty lights are all about during this season! Joy to the World!
My prayer is that I, and we, might allow the Light of the world to shine in and through us so this needy world will catch a glimpse of the One who came to deliver, save, and bring joy, hope, peace, and love.
May the night and days before and after Christmas, and all through your house and family, help you…
- Test positive for faith, keep distance from doubt
- Isolate from fear, and trusting God through it all
- Shelter and rest in place and in peace!
– John Coulombe, Director of Spiritual Development
Christmas is a time to celebrate and pass on traditions.
The joy of family traditional foods (Swedish rye bread, sugar cookie decorating with grandkids, Christmas kringle are my favorites).
The meaning of traditions that have been passed down for 3 generations (grandchildren performing the nativity play, family caroling to neighbors, Grandpa reading the Luke 2 passage of Jesus’ birth, giving of gifts to those we love).
Gathering with family and friends for special events and celebrations, and sitting beside the lighted Christmas tree as we welcome the Light of the world to our hearts in a special way during the Advent season.
This year has taken on extra sweet meaning as our 8th grandchild was born Nov 29th – Luciana Gioia aka Lucy Joy, meaning light and joy!
What a perfect name (Joy is Granzy’s middle name) for this little baby girl who has brought a special light and joy to our family this Christmas season!
– Brenda Peitzman, Director of Seminars
Christmas means PEACE.
What does Christmas mean to me? That is a question that as an adult I have honestly never been asked.
As a child, it was asked many times, with the expectation of an answer “The celebration of Jesus’s Birth.”
Posed now at 71 years young, I must say I had to ponder the question for a bit. I even asked the Holy Spirit to help me with an answer that truly fits me.
As promised in scripture if we ask, He will help us, and He quietly answered me as I lay silently in bed listening.
Christmas to me means – “PEACE.”
I am, because of the Who of Christmas, baptized into the peace that passes all understanding.
Because Jesus voluntarily left the comfort of Heaven to become a man (born of a woman) and then gave his life on the cross, I have been reconciled with our Father into a family of Peace.
As a pastor for 23 years, I studied and attained much of the knowledge Scripture has given us about peace with the uses and functions of that peace.
Yet only in the last 5 years as a retired pastor and actively serving in the ministry of Legacy Coalition has this truth become very real.
Sharing the call of Intentional Christian Grandparenting alongside Legacy Coalition has caused me to walk daily in the power and direction of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit guides my steps and my finances, and even my relationship with my wife of 48 years. Today we daily ask and seek His direction and supply, then we step out to follow that direction.
Today we know that God is indeed in control. Even when a subdural hematoma forced me into brain surgery with 16 weeks of rehab (Ed), or a broken clothesline demanded a shoulder replacement with months of rehab (Jo Beth).
Our faith is firm that each step was and is directed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Because of Christmas, we can start each day with thankfulness and confidence that He will direct our path. Then, whatever comes, He is already there knowing what tomorrow brings.
– Ed and Jo Beth Vinson, Resource Center, Legacy Coalition
From Legacy Coalition to you – Have a very Merry Christmas!
8 thoughts on “What Christmas Means to Me”
Christmas means:
A time to go deeper into the words of the Christmas story as we read about each of the characters who comprise the familiar story. A time to share the reactions of each and contemplate our own reaction to the fact of Christ’s birth. Are we Mary with her servant’s heart? Are we Joseph with obedient actions and trusting spirit? Are we the Wise Men or the shepherds who bowed down in worship to this king before he even was capable of performing a miracle or speaking a word to them?
It is a time to think, something we as a culture do not do much of these days. A night in which to ponder (while surrounded by sights and sounds of the season) what really happened those thousands of years ago? A night in which to be grateful for the everlasting gift given and to meditate on what it means for our future.
I am grateful to God that He permits us to continue learning and being awestruck even after 60, 70 , 80+ years of life! What a gracious Father we serve! What a wonderful Savior we have been gifted.
Amen!!
I so appreciated the stories of the Meaning of Christmas that were written by very eloquent servants of Christ! Thank you for doing this as they were so well received by me.
Thank You!!
Linda Knoebel
Sir or Madam,
Christmas reminds me of the few Christmases that I spent at home after I had come to Christ – there were just four of them. I would lie down on the living room rug to gaze upon our Christmas tree in awe of the Lord’s “indescribable gift.” I would then worship our Lord Jesus Christ in the light of the Christmas tree at night. THAT was what Christmas means to me.
wonderful memories, thank you for sharing them with us.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful thoughts. I am fortunate to have always known that Jesus loves me through my mom’s wonderful testimony.
Every December 1st she would get out our “Christmas candle”, an old glass maple syrup bottle covered with candle drippings accumulated over many years. She would place a tall tapered candle in the bottle and light it each day of December as a reminder to us all that Jesus is the light of the world.
That pretty well sums up Christmas to me, and now I’ve had my own Christmas candle for several decades.
love this, what a sweet and special memory.
Thank you for sharing.
Christmas means a love of God(for sending Jesus), family, and friends. I have always loved Christmas since I was a child. My family would get together and spend time together.