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December 3rd
When I was growing up, we always had an artificial Christmas tree. There were no needles to clean up. There was no yearly expense. There was no going out in the cold, chopping down a tree. I’m not really built for wielding an axe.
One year, I decided to take my three boys out to experience picking out a real Christmas tree. My middle son naturally walked up to the most expensive tree on the lot, his eyes as big as the pine coned wonder, and declared, “I want that one!” When the musician wrote, “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” this was the kind of tree they imagined. It was magical. It looked like Christmas even without ornaments and a star. So I told Connor we could get that tree as long as he was cool with no presents around the bottom of it. He picked a tree that looked a lot more like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree and we all loved it.
I started wondering, when did Christmas become so expensive? It’s by far the most expensive American holiday, followed by my wife's birthday.
Mary and Joseph didn’t celebrate Jesus’ birthday each year with a tree, endless hours of shopping, 4,000 calorie meals, endless reams of wrapping paper and bows. Can you imagine Jesus’ brothers and sisters… "How come all we get for our birthday is a stupid birthday cake and card, but Jesus gets a national holiday?"
Financially, most people can’t afford Christmas. Do you realize how absurd that sounds? What’s sad is that the best gift is the one that didn’t cost us anything. You can’t buy it on Black Friday. There’s not a limited supply. The best gift is the whole reason why we celebrate Christmas. The best gift is.... Jesus.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
This season, consider buying less and celebrating more. Maybe even adopt the principle of only buying four gifts for the little ones on your Christmas list. Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read.
Scripture
About this Plan
The true intention behind Advent was a way of preparing one’s heart for Christmas. It was a way to create a posture like Simeon: “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him” (Luke 2:25). This devotional by Dan Stanford is designed to help us do that.
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