Ruining Christmas

Does all the gift giving ruin Christmas? Are we missing the reason for the season?

My sons opened a few early presents this afternoon, a toy airplane and helicopter from my dad. I felt a slight amount of envy as I watched them get lost in the world of play. And to be honest, I enjoyed playing with the airplane as soon as Eli put it down. Toys are still cool at 31. And this whole Christmas gift thing is pretty awesome.

I have struggled with the idea of giving and receiving Christmas gifts over the years. I did not celebrate Christmas for the first 14 years of my life because I was a Jehovah's Witness. I guess my brain is still not over that washing entirely. I have often wondered if I've sold out for the materialistic and worldly pagan rituals I was taught to hate as a child. But I'm thankful for a friend who pointed me to a sermon this week on the theology of Christmas gifts.

The basic idea was that Christmas gifts are good and right because they are given in honor of Christ and they demonstrate love for Christ in as much as they demonstrate love for other people. If we give the gift to bring joy to someone else, then we have participated in something that God takes pleasure in doing - giving good gifts to men. He is the greatest gift giver. We are made in His image. That's the point of Christmas.

Can we become fixated on what we will receive and ruin it? I usually do! But I should not let my selfishness cast doubt on the institution as a whole. Christmas gifts are swell. Go all out! Give more than people expect and  share in the joy of Christ! I'm learning this a little bit more each year.