How Has Christmas Celebrations Changed Today?

How where Christmas celebrations in the 1950s and 60s? 

Teaching children about the true meaning of Christmas is hard to do when the holiday has been changed into a commercial event about all the wrong reasons. There is such a lack of one to one contact. Young folks spend too much of the time on cell phones or social networking. There is a lack of personal interaction with parents and onther kids there own age. The places where they could learn about the spiriual aspect of Christmas are being replaces. Shouldn’t it be more about the infant Jesus and the historic birth of that first Christmas night?

In a world facing upheavals, crisis, difficulty, financial problems, and fear where is the true meaning of Christmas with all of its hope, goodwill, and love?

The message of Christmas has been terribly misapplied and misunderstood for many years. Some think of business profits, shopping for gifts, tinsel, toys, and parting. For others it is the scene of Bethlehem, the star in the sky, shepherds in the field, and angels singing. “Where is this Prince of Peace in a world filled with so many problems?”

The real Christmas message goes far deeper. It heralds the entrance of God into human history. It is the promise of Heaven descending Earth. It is the announcement ending the despairing, hopeless, and frustrated world coming for a better age.... A Golden Age that answers all the great plagues we face now and pasted times. The Christmas message is relevant, revolutionary, and reassuring to us today to come. It can be summed up in three words: Brotherhood, Freedom, and Unconditional Love,

Who could be in opposition to this promised era?

The Angel Gabriel Visits Mary

Birth of Jesus Foretold ~ Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Christmas

Brian K. Walters

In today's' day and time,
It's easy to lose sight,
Of the true meaning of Christmas
And one special night.

When we go shopping,
We say 'How much will it cost? '
Then the true meaning of Christmas,
Somehow becomes lost.

Amidst the tinsel, glitter
And ribbons of gold,
We forget about the child,
Born on a night so cold.

The children look for Santa
In his big, red sleigh
Never thinking of the child
Whose bed was made of hay?

In reality,
When we look into the night sky,
We don't see a sleigh
But a star, burning bright and high.

A faithful reminder,
Of that night so long ago,
And of the child we call Jesus,
Whose love, the world would know.