How do I feel about Christmas?

So Melita over @ Scrapbook Oasis has given a blog challenge. she asks....

How do you feel about Christmas? Too commercialized? How do you keep the meaning of Christmas? Do you think you are doing a good job at teaching your kids the true meaning?

I do think it is commercialized. I think that the focus of Christmas has become just that to the majority. A "holiday" for shopping for presents. A "holiday" for receiving presents. So how can it not be commercialized? We built this and now we dread it. Shopping and giving gifts. Do the kids really understand why we give by giving these gifts on this day? What is that teaching them? We tell them the message of the baby in the manger. My kids thankfully very much understand it. It has even brought tears to the older few when we have been at live nativities. They know and understand fully that this little baby had been predestined to give His life for us. They picture Jera or Ella when they were babies and then think of how we would feel if we had the savior in our house. Jesus as a baby. Mary held Him. Mary fed Him. Mary loved Him. His family loved Him and each day knowing that the prophesy of Him dying for our sins would come true. Wow. To be that mother. A mothers tears of happiness at His birth and and maybe even tears of humanly sadness knowing you would give Him up later to be murdered. All prophesied and come true. An amazing story but even better is that is is not a story. It is a biography!

Ok, so now I have started tearing up myself. After all I am a mother. I understand the love though I cannot understand her emotions and thoughts.

Getting back to the commercialization of this holiday. We ourselves give in to it. We buy presents for our kids and we have a great time. However, the things we buy are to honor God or give Him glory. Some things are things of a need. Those are honoring to God because they are a need and not a desire. The toys and games we receive are blessings from God who gave the way to buy the presents. (Yes, my kids know that it is really Bruce Lee who gave them their presents) Having fun with friends in a godly manner with new toys and games is honoring God and other presents can give avenues to honor him as well.