Christmas Lessons

By Elder Ian S. Ardern

Area Seventy

This Christmas, unwrap the miracle of the birth of Jesus Christ by pondering its significance to you and your family.

The month of December is upon us and what a delightful festive season it is. Children seem to have bigger smiles and an abundance of goodwill permeates the air. It really is the ‘season to be jolly.’ Like you, Sister Ardern and I love Christmas and the joy of the season. There are beautifully decorated Christmas trees to be seen, sparkling tinsel is decorating shops, lights twinkle, and a chorus of carols fills our homes, hearts, markets and malls. I have not been in Central Africa long enough to know what food will be prepared for when families gather to celebrate, but I know it will be welcomed.

But wait! What of Christ at Christmas? The Saviour and His Messianic mission are the foundation stones of the true meaning of Christmas and therefore we must ensure that He is not overshadowed by tinsel and twinkling lights. I have wondered what more we can do to remember that Christ is the reason for the season. Here are five simple ideas that might help you.

Before you feast on the sumptuous food on Christmas Day, I recommend you gather your family to feast upon the Christmas story as it is recounted in the second chapter of Luke. Before simple but precious gifts are unwrapped, unwrap the miracle of the birth of Christ by reading and pondering its significance to you and to your family.
Remember that Christ’s life was one of service to others. This Christmas season would be an ideal time to serve others in ways that shows our love for others as He showed His love for us. Imagine the excitement generated and the lessons learned as a child becomes a secret Santa to friends and neighbors. I can still hear the squeals of delight as my young children showed acts of secret service by placing cookies, fruit, or homemade cards at the door of someone in need of love.
I am not a good singer, but I do like a well-written poem. Christmas carols are really just poems put to music, so if you cannot sing, enjoy the poem. There are also valuable Christmas lessons to be learned as families, branches and wards gather to sing songs of praise and adoration of Christ. And if you are not a good singer, it is still all right to sing!
Don’t overlook the Christmas lessons to be taught as you decorate a small tree or perhaps a room in your home. The star is symbolic of the new star that guided the wise men (See Matthew 2:2), the simple lights help us to remember that Christ is the true light (See John 1:9) and of course there is the angel (See Luke 1:26) who announced the pending birth of the Saviour.
Yet another Christmas lesson is the gift of giving. Christ’s greatest gift to us is the possibility of eternal life made available through His infinite Atonement which began in Gethsemane, continued on the cross at Calvary and ended as He voluntarily gave up His life and was resurrected so we, His spiritual brothers and sisters, may also be resurrected and live again.

May the lessons of Christmas be well taught and learned this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas to each of you.