The True Meaning of Christmas

It all starts on Thanksgiving day, flipping through the ads looking for the best deals and wanting everything in sight. Then waking up early Friday morning to hit the stores to get the deals of the year. As I am at the stores there are many things that I think I need, so I grab them quickly because they may be gone in a few seconds. Then it is time to check out and I wait in line for about an hour and a half to purchase my treasures. When it is finally my turn to check out, my total for the 10 things I bought (when I only came for 2 items) comes to way more than we can really afford.
I have to admit that I really enjoy shopping and spending money, ex specially this time of year, so the few weeks before Christmas I continue to spend and shop thinking of Christmas morning all of the packages under the tree and the smiles and thank you's we will be getting from our kids.
Another thing I really enjoy this time of year is listening to the Christmas music on the radio. When ever I am in the car, or cooking in the kitchen I will turn it whatever station is playing Christmas music.

I don't know when it hit me, but as I was at Wal-mart on that early morning spending unnecessary money that we did not have and could hardly move or listening to the music of Santa and snow on the radio, but very rarely hearing songs that were of Christ, I felt as if I was missing that feeling of what this time of year was truly about.
So I started returning things we did not really need and trying to not go out and shop as much. I then looked for CD's that we had that were of Christ and listened to those instead of the radio. My sweet husband made me a CD that had all songs that are centered on Jesus Christ birth. I really tried to search and read things that remind me of His birth and true meaning. While I was on LDS.org I watched youtube videos made by the church that talked about what we can give instead of getting. What-Shall-We-Give?

I wanted to have our children learn this lesson early on, so Glenn and I talked it over and we discussed with them again the true meaning of Christmas and how we were really blessed with so much and there are so many others that are not as fortunate as we are and that this year that they could tell Santa to give their gift to someone else that needed it more. Of course we left it up to them to make that choice. They had to really think about it and said that it was really hard to do, but both decided to give their gift to someone else. We are so proud of them and Heavenly Father, that they made that decision and know that they will hopefully feel the true meaning of Christmas.
I have truly felt that spirit many times as I have tried very hard to focus on why we celebrate Christmas by giving to others, not focusing on the things I do not have, listening to uplifting music and spending time with friends and family. I am so grateful to my Savior who came as a baby to show us the example on how to live and then giving His life so that I can be forgiven and have the opportunity to live with my family forever. I am so blessed to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to have an amazing family to share this life and eternity with.
I love this time of year and for the spirit it can bring if we let it.

Merry CHRIST-mas