During a Christmas sermon at my church’s youth night, my youth pastor shared a story with us about a Christian family and what Christmas meant to them. The family was sitting around the dinner table, as they do every year. They set aside a special place for Jesus at the table and call their Christmas dinner “Jesus’ Birthday Celebration.” When asked if she had gotten everything she wanted for Christmas, their little daughter replied, “No. Why would I get everything I want? It’s Jesus’ birthday.”

This opened my eyes to the reality of Christmas. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of trying to shop for the perfect gifts for people, sometimes we lose sight of the fact that Jesus is the reason for the season.