Well here we are, Christmas is almost upon us. When we were kids we used to sing "Christmas bells, Santa smells, Rudolph laid an egg..." This did not exactly reflect the holiday spirit. As we got older and realized that Santa was only a legend, our main thoughts turned toward toys. I came from a poor family, but no where as poor as some families. We always had something to eat even though sometimes it was only tomato soup. I really got to hate tomato soup. Some people were so poor where I lived that their families couldn't afford to buy them shoes. As their feet grew, their parents would have to cut out the backs of the shoes to allow for foot expansion. That was a sad sight indeed. When I take all this into consideration, I wonder how my mother ever managed to get me any presents at all. I was an only child so at least she only had me to worry about. The presents were not like the ones kids get today. There were no Play Stations or X Boxes or even cd players. They were more like things made from wood.

I remember exactly what I got one Christmas when I was about 7 years old. I got a ring toss game.It had a wooden board where you could insert wooden dowels. You would stand back and try and toss rings made of heavy rope, that were secured in a circle by a wooden clamp, over the dowel. It was sort of a horseshoe type game. Hey this was a big deal folks. My other present was something I wish that I had today because it would be quite valuable. I actually got a Budweiser wagon and horse set. The horses were wood and painted red. They pulled the Budweiser wagon and it had all the barrels of beer loaded on the back. You could take the barrels on and off. As I said, I still can't figure out how mom could afford this?

As I got older, Christmas started to mean more to me. It now was not only about getting but giving. I began to get pleasure from giving to others, especially others that meant something to me. It was great to see someone opening a package that I had given them and see their face light up if they really liked the present. It felt great to be able to give my mother a present and maybe a current girl friend. Giving was now more important than getting. I was evolving.

Things began to change again for me as more time went by. Being materialistic it took quite a while to dawn on me that Christmas means much more than present exchange. The very essence of Christmas is hope and thanksgiving. If you are a Christian, you believe that Christmas commemorates the birth of Christ. Oh he wasn't really born on December 25, but it is an estimation. The exact date is unknown, so I guess I shouldn't really say that December 25 is not when Christ was born, it could be. Christians believe that Christ saved them by coming into the world and dying for their sins thus paving the way to heaven for the worthy.

Christmas has become more than a Christian holiday. It has become a day of fellowship, a day when many different races and religions get together and forget their differences. Not all the peoples of the world feel this way but many do. If we could each do one good deed at Christmas for someone we don't know, it might make the world just a little better. Giving a turkey to your church for Christmas dinner for some needy family is a good way to accomplish this. Another is to deliver food to shut ins. Donating gifts for children who's parents can't afford gifts for them is also a fine way to celebrate Christmas.

What ever you do this Christmas, remember while you are eating that turkey dinner, surrounded by family and friends, that Christmas is about thankfulness, thankfulness that you are surrounded by loved ones, thankfulness that God has been good to you and thankfulness that you are alive to enjoy the day.