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It’s kind of hard to believe that it is December already. I probably say that every year, but I’m saying it again. This is always one of my favorite times of the year. I love Christmas, I love getting to celebrate with family and friends, I love some Christmas movies, and I love the anticipation that makes me feel like a little kid again. Even though things will look different this year, one thing won’t change. Despite everything that is going on in our world, the whole reason why we celebrate Christmas cannot and will not change.

There are a million different things that can distract us from Jesus and what his birth means for us around Christmas. There are some really really smart people who have been, and continue to be, paid very well to market Christmas. I’m not here to blame them or say that all these other things we get so easily distracted by are bad either. I have just been reminded again and again this year already (and I’m writing this on December 2nd!) how easy it is to get distracted.

My 3 year old daughter, Lily, couldn’t be more excited about Christmas. It’s so cool to see her be this excited, but it seems like Jill and I have to remind her 10 times/day that Christmas isn’t all about the presents. To her credit, I think she is just as excited about the gifts she picked out to give people as she is the gifts she gets to open. Beyond the presents she is always asking to watch a Christmas movie, or read a Christmas book. Like I said, it is so exciting for me to see her looking forward to Christmas, but we want her to remember and be excited about Jesus’ birth.

And guys, it’s hard. It’s hard to convince a 3 year old that a baby being born is more important than that Baby Yoda underwear she wants (yeah, she is a little strange). Or that the Christmas Story is more exciting than the new animated Grinch movie.  

And if we are being honest, I think we all can admit that there are certain things we do around Christmas time that we care more about or at least get more excited about than spending time thanking God for sending his son, Jesus, to earth. Maybe that thing is a family gathering, or tradition you have done since you were a kid, or that food you only get one day a year. Whatever it is, you probably know it’s not more important, but do we always act like it?

I get it, all that stuff is great and exciting, but we often need the same reminder that Lily get’s. Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of the Saviour of the world. The Saviour sent so that broken and imperfect sinners like us can be in a relationship with God. Jesus was the greatest gift we could ever get, even better than Baby Yoda underwear.