With two weeks exactly until Christmas remaining, I feel it is time to touch on the subject of Christmas spirit as well as Christmas gifts. It can be really difficult when you are trying to get that perfect gift for your friends, family, or children. We all have put a lot of burden on ourselves each year and we simply overlook the spirit of Christmas. We all have heard Christmas stories and Christmas plays that touch on the very subject but It seems like we all just push it to the back of our minds and go on our merry little way still acting like a modern scrooge if you will. The spirit of Christmas is what Christmas its self is all about to begin with. Christmas has never been about the gift, rather the thought. What is sad is every marketing strategist has jumped on the idea of giving gifts rather than giving the spirit of Christmas. In a previous blog, I wrote about , “smile, it’s contagious.” Well simply put so is Christmas spirit. This blog is more about being challenging to all of those that are out doing their holiday shopping. I personally challenge each and every one of you to take 5 minutes of your time to simply stop in the middle of a busy store, step to the side and watch the people that happen to be shopping there with you. Take a moment to observe how they act and what they say. Is this truly Christmas spirit?
Let’s take a moment to define Christmas spirit. Christmas being Christ…..Mas. "Mas" in most languages means “more”, so in essence the entire reason for Christmas is more Christ. Christmas spirit is simply more Christ’s spirit. When it is broken down, each and every one of us totally miss the whole reason for Christmas to begin with. Christ like attitude. Teach your children it’s not the gift, it’s the spirit.. Will your children, friends, or family be using/playing with the gift you fought someone at Walmart for? Probably not, matter of fact I’m willing to bet they won’t even remember what they got. We all should remember that Christmas is extended Thanksgiving, it is to become closer to the one who gave his life to save yours. I challenge you each and every one in the next 14 day countdown to “more Christ” day, we ALL need to act more Christ like. Don’t get in someone’s face and scold them like children, simply let the Spirit express itself. Let someone ahead of you at Target. If someone drops something, pick it up for them. If you see someone walking in the freezing cold and obviously they’re walking because it’s their only option simply stop and ask them if they need a ride. This is Christmas. Let your spirit make people stop and realize that maybe they have got caught up in the rat race we call holiday shopping. The stores do not care about you. The stores only care about how much money they can make from the “holidays”. Show your “MORE CHRISTMAS” spirit it’s contagious. And above all remember Jesus is the reason for the season. We hear it but we don’t listen. Take 20 seconds out of your day and tell someone, You know I love you. Take 10 minutes to sit down and tell your children that the reason of Christmas isn’t about that toy they’ve been eye-ing and possibly shaking under the tree. Take 15 minutes and make some hot chocolate for your kids and sit in the floor and play a board game with them. Time slips away like a whisper in the wind. In a heartbeat it is gone, and no matter how much money you have, you will never get it back. Be thankful for what you have, cherish the ones you love, live an example of “more Christmas”
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