Another year almost come and gone and

Christmas day is upon us once again.

Today’s Christmases full

Of gifts, hour long lines, last minute shopping

And Stress!

Life moving at a breakneck pace; never slowing,

People not sparing a small coin to put in the Salvation Army bucket.

I wonder if we would all make better presents

Than the ones we receive on Christmas-

With how wrapped up we are.

There are those (not to be forgotten) who do something kind

For someone else; Sometimes anonymously.

Though I feel that, through the years,

We have forgotten what Christmas really is.

Christmas isn’t about bows, ribbons, or tags

Nor is Christmas about packages, boxes, or bags.

What is it then? Go back about 2000 years or so to the very first Chrismas

A very cold, dark, winter night in a Bethlehem barn a young woman gave birth

To a son Jesus “Emmanuel” meaning (‘God With Us’)

On that night the witnesses to Jesus’ birth were

A few shepherds from nearby fields,

The animals in the barn, 3 kings (wisemen they be), and a poor drummer boy.

The kings brought gifts to pay homage and honor to the babe

The drummer boy had no gift to bring, but played a song for the child

All was bright, calm, peaceful that night

The warmth of love and light

Overpowering the cold, dark, winter of that Bethlehem night