We are in the season of Christmas and busy fulfilling all of our Christmas traditions. We put up Christmas decorations, sing Christmas songs, buy Christmas presents, and plan big Christmas meals, but we are supposed to be celebrating the birth of Christ. We are supposed to be celebrating God made flesh — our Creator becoming His creation to reconcile them to Himself. If you care about your relationship with Jesus, you may wonder, “Are all of these Christmas traditions good or bad?” In most cases, I think the answer is “It depends.” Are you using Christmas traditions to celebrate Jesus and point yourself and others to Him or have the traditions themselves become the focus? Let’s look at some Christmas traditions and see how we might use them to point us to Jesus instead of distracting us from Him. ## Christmas Music > 1And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, > > “Glory to God in the highest,\ > And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:13-14) There is a lot of Christmas music to choose from, but some is more honoring to God than others. Do you spend your time listening to songs like “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” or “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” or do you spend your time listening to songs like “O Holy Night,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Little Town of Bethlehem,” or “Mary Did You Know?” There isn’t anything inherently wrong with the first type, but the second type is much more honoring to Jesus and will focus our minds on what Jesus did for us. By listening to Christmas music that points us to Jesus, we honor Him, refocus our own lives, and point others to Him. When we listen to Christmas music that focuses on Santa, Frosty, Rudolph, or just the season of winter, we distract people from the true meaning of Christmas. Listening to Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas” isn’t a problem (and I enjoy it very much), but focus on the Christmas Carols that point us to Jesus. You won’t regret it. ## Christmas Decorations (Lights) > Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12) I love Christmas decorations and especially Christmas lights. I’ll admit it. This year we even decided we are going to leave the lights up through January because the lights are so cheerful during the dark part of the year when we spend so much time in darkness. The question we should ask ourselves is “Are we just focused on the decorations and lights or are we focused on Jesus?” Jesus is the Light of the World. He is the light in the darkness. It is appropriate to use lights to celebrate Jesus, but do we focus on the lights or are the lights focusing our thoughts on Jesus? My new Christmas resolution is to remember to thank Jesus for being the light of the world every time I look at the Christmas lights. > Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) Are your Christmas decorations things that point to Jesus or things that point to human tradition like Santa, reindeer, Frosty, etc.? We should aim to have more of our decorations point to Jesus. Another thing I’ve noticed is that many of our Christian decorations can even be based on tradition rather than actual Biblical inerrancy. Most nativity sets have 3 wise men. Although this error isn’t something to get legalistic about, it is something to be aware of. > Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, (Matthew 2:1) Traditionally the magi have been called wise men, but nobody knows 100% who the magi were. They also assume there were 3 of them because of the 3 gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Based on the uproar that they caused in Jerusalem, it was probably a huge caravan. You’ll also notice that they arrived in Jerusalem “*after Jesus was born in Bethlehem.*” They then consulted King Herod. King Herod consulted the Jewish leaders to figure out that the Messiah was expected to be born in Bethlehem, and then they traveled to Bethlehem to find Jesus. It isn’t clear how long after Jesus’s birth the Magi showed up, but they definitely weren’t there that first Christmas morning. Because of this, my husband sets up our main nativity set (that his parents got in Israel) in our living room and sets up the 3 wise men and the camel in our guest bedroom (on the East side of the house). It is his way of supporting the true Christmas story and not just the traditions of men. Our Christmas tree isn’t just stuff relating to Jesus and the Christmas story. Most of our tree decorations are things for which we are thankful to Jesus. We have ornaments with family pictures. We have handmade ornaments made by the women of our church that were given to us when our house burnt down. We have ornaments from most of the trips we have gone on. We have a few sentimental family ornaments that were given to us when my husband’s mom died. Every time I look at my tree, I am grateful for all of these things. They aren’t just generic decorations. They are memories. I also have an ornament with a picture of my son’s teacher’s autistic son who snuck away and was killed in a blizzard. Every time I see the ornament, I pray for his family who misses him so much. I’d like to think that this tree of blessings is honoring to my God and my Savior. ## Christmas Dinner > For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and **when He had given thanks**, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; **do this in remembrance of Me.**” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; **do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me**.” For a**s often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.** (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) {emphasis mine} This passage is about the Passover celebration and Jesus’s command to celebrate the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Him. I think it is likewise appropriate to celebrate His birth with a meal. As in most things, what makes it honoring to Jesus is how we do Christmas dinner rather than whether we do it or not. The below passage is about celebrating the Lord’s supper in an inappropriate way, but I will try to apply it to Christmas dinner. > Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. (1 Corinthians 11:20-22) Is Christmas dinner just about stuffing ourselves with good food or is it about more? Is it about fellowship with friends and family? Is it about gratefulness for what Jesus did for us? Is it about benefitting others? For most of our marriage, we have alternated celebrating Christmas at my parent’s house and my husband’s parents house, but a couple of times recently, due to different circumstances, we have celebrated Christmas in our own home, and we will be doing it again this year. We’ll celebrate with my family after Christmas, and we celebrated with my husband’s family at Thanksgiving. Our new tradition is to invite some people over to join us for Christmas dinner if we are celebrating at our home. We invite people from our church that are an older couple with no family nearby, a widow, or a single that is not near family. We invite people who would not have much of a celebration on their own. It has been such a blessing being able to bless others who don’t have family, are in financial hardship, or have physical trouble cooking a big meal. Whether you are fellowshipping with family or ministering to those who have less than you, Christmas dinner can definitely be a God honoring part of your Christmas traditions. ## Christmas Presents > Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also **overflowing through many thanksgivings to God**. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. **Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!** (2 Corinthians 9:10-15) {emphasis mine} Too often we can get so obsessed with the buying and receiving of gifts that we forget the greatest gift of all — the gift of our Savior Jesus. My 17 year old son has Down Syndrome. He really likes gifts, especially electronics, like tablets, radios, and phones. Unfortunately, he also isn’t very gentle with them and usually has broken or lost most of them by the time Christmas comes along. This often leads to him obsessing about the gifts that he thinks he deserves. When we celebrated Christmas with my husband’s family at Thanksgiving, he got a nice keyboard that he had requested. He did not, however, get the radio or tablet he wanted. As we were driving home he demanded, “Where is my radio? Where is my tablet? Where is it?” Instead of being grateful for his very generous gift, a gift that he requested, he was upset that he hadn’t gotten everything he wanted. He focused on stuff and not people. He focused on receiving and not giving. He focused on earthly things instead of Jesus. Too often we all do. > But the **free gift** is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and **the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many**. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand **the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification**. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:15-17) {emphasis mine} Just as Jesus gave His life for us, it is good for us to give to others, but we always need to have the gift giving process be focused on Jesus and not the stuff. We always need to be thankful for what we have and receive and not what we don’t have and haven’t received. On Christmas morning, before opening gifts, we always read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and the story of the magi from Matthew 2. We then sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus, to remind us all of the purpose of Christmas and of the greatest gift we have received. I’m also wanting to start a new tradition at Christmas: Before each person opens a gift, they must thank Jesus for one blessing in their life. I think this will change the focus from greed and getting to gratefulness for what we have already received. > For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the **gift of God**; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, **created in Christ Jesus for good works**, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. For by grace you have been **saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, *it is* the gift of God**; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, **created in Christ Jesus for good works**, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-9) {emphasis mine} Jesus gave us His all. We also need to consider what we can give to those who can’t give back, just as we can’t ever repay Jesus for what He did for us. Is there a family you know that is having a rough year financially or health wise that you could bless with a meal or gifts or help with bills? Is there a charity that will share the gospel and meet the physical needs of those who are alone, broke, and addicted that you can donate to? Maybe your kids have lots of toys and are about to get more and you can donate some that are in good condition to a Christian charity that can get those toys to kids who won’t receive any. Maybe money is tight, but you could volunteer at a soup kitchen or do some yard chores for a widow. I don’t know your personal circumstances or the circumstances of where you are and those around you, but think about finding some way to bless someone less fortunate than you. > Above all, **keep fervent in your love for one another**, because love covers a multitude of sins. **Be hospitable to one another** without complaint. **As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another** as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. **Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God**; **whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies**; **so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ**, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:8-11) {emphasis mine} There are lots of movies, songs, and TV shows that talk about the spirit of Christmas and the love of Christmas. Let’s make sure we show love and share Jesus with the people around us. They tend to be much more open to Jesus during Christmas. Let’s make sure we make the most of Christmas. To God be the Glory! Trust Jesus. *FYI, Because everyone is busy at Christmas, I will be posting my short Wednesday post (Christmas) on Tuesday evening (Christmas Eve) so that people can have time to read the post before Christmas and it will hopefully help you to have the right mindset on Christmas.* #### FYI, to learn more about my books “*Why I Need Jesus*” (available in paperback and ebook) and “*Joy in the Storm*” (in editing and hopefully out in a month or two.) see my [books page](https://trustjesus.substack.com/p/books).