What Do You Do with Jesus at Christmas?

It is a strange question, but one that perplexes many people this time of year: what do you do with Jesus at Christmas? Is this a religious or a secular holiday? Since this year Christmas falls on a Sunday, do you go to church or open presents around the tree? Or both? How do you treat friends who insist that Jesus is the reason for the season? What about friends who do not believe in Jesus? How do you combine Santa Claus, baby Jesus, reindeer, and wise men into one season? What do people do with Jesus this time of year?

1. Ignore him. Xmas instead of Christmas. Trees and stockings, but not nativity scenes. “Deck the Halls”, but not “Away in a Manger”. Read The Night Before Christmas, but not  Matthew 1 and 2.

2. Be a little religious. Be nicer to people. Focus on giving, not getting. Show up at church on Christmas day, or at least Christmas Eve. Make a charitable donation or two. Give some presents to the underprivileged. Include going to church and being a better person with your New Year’s Resolutions.

3. Keep Jesus a baby. Focus on the nativity. Attend the wise men, shepherds, animals, Mary and Joseph pageants. Be sure to go to the ones put on by the little kids. They are cuter than and not as startling as the real event was. This approach does not seem to recognize that the baby grew up and died on a cross. So save that for Easter weekend.

4. Celebrate Jesus just like you do every day. Realize that Jesus did not come to earth so we could celebrate a birthday. He came to save us from our sins. That is the good news. He was born to die. He was raised to live. Jesus is not the reason for the season. He is the reason for every season.

As for me, I am happy to celebrate Jesus at Christmas… and in January, and in spring, and summer… and well, every day. If the holiday season has caused you to wonder what to do about Jesus, I would enjoy discussing it with you. Write me at steve@hopeforlife.org or join the blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.