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The Bible Says
Yes, I’m fully aware that today is Thanksgiving Day! We’ve been looking forward to this wonderful holiday for at least a month, and we have been looking forward to Christmas at the same time. Christmas is one of those events that most of look forward to, and plan for -- and then when it arrives we are never quite ready for it. Right? Each year we hope against hope that certain members of our family will make it home for one annual celebration together. It doesn’t always work out, and when it does we may all be broke -- but we have a grand time together, whether we have money to spend or not! Christmas Is an Unusual Holiday It isn’t even mentioned anywhere in the Bible, yet to Christians it is one of the most sacred events of the year, because it is designed to honor the birth of Christ. The dates on our calendars have all been mixed up and confused until few, if any, of the dates are correct, but actually it doesn’t really matter whether Christ was born on December 25th or some other time of the year. The important issue is that we worship HIM. It took several hundred years of church history to come up with some of the customs and traditions now associated with Christmas. No one in Israel at the time of Christ’s Birth had ever seen a Reindeer and perhaps not even a sleigh, but to some people the fable of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” is a part of Christmas -- almost as important as candy and nuts, and cranberry pie!
Be sure you don’t forget! The dear little dimpled darling Has never seen Christmas yet. So now before you go, Just write a letter to Santa And fasten it on the toe: “This is the Baby’s stocking That hangs in the corner here. He never has seen you, Santa For he only came this year. But he’s just the darlingest Baby, And now before you go, Just cram his stocking with goodies From the top clear down to the toe!” My little great-grandson son is a little past two years old and he will, no doubt, enjoy Christmas. He will have to be a few years older, however, before he will be able to fully grasp and understand the extra-ordinary meaning of the celebration. “It begins with the evening of December 24 (called Christmas Eve), and continues until Epiphany (January 6), the whole period being called Christmas-tide. It is more particularly observed on December 25, which is called Christmas Day, or simply Christmas.” . . . “As to whether or not our Lord’s birth really occurred on December 25 ancient authorities are not agreed. Clement of Alexandria says that some place it on April 20th, others on May 29th, while Epiphanius states that in Egypt Jesus was believed to have been born on January 6.”
-- Ungers Bible Dictionary “As mentioned above, the whole period from Nativity to Ephinany was consecrated. The four Sundays preceding Christmas were incorporated with the cycle, under the title of the Advent, as a preparation for the festival . . . Several non-Christian elements have crept into the observance of Christmas. The use of lighted tapers reminds us of the Jewish feast of purification. The giving of presents was a Roman custom; while the Yule tree and the Yule log are remnants of old Teutonic nature revelry.”
– Ungers Bible Dictionary Sweetly sounding through the skies? Lo! Angelic host rejoices -- Heavenly Hallelujahs rise. Listen to the wondrous story, Which they chant in hymns of joy -- “Glory in the highest glory; Glory be to God most high! Christ is born, the great Anointed; Heaven and earth His praises sing; O receive whom God appointed, For your Prophet, Priest, and King. “Hasten mortals, to adore Him; Learn His name and taste HIS Joy; Till in heaven ye sing before Him, -- Glory be to God most high!” “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men!” So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child.” (Luke 2:8-17NKJB).
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