As the Christmas season comes and goes, I cannot help but stress the importance and the purpose behind these festivities. On the surface, the purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, below the surface/reality, it seems that some people enjoy this festive holiday because of more materialistic reasons. Generally, as the years pass and people grow older, it would be expected that the true meaning of Christmas eventually dawn on most. But I believe that there may still be some people who get more excited over the presents they receive than the time that they get to spend with their loved ones, and that is why I write.

As someone who has celebrated Christmas since I could remember, but did not receive presents every year, I feel that the true meaning of Christmas defined itself to me pretty early in life. I still remember the first year it happened. My family was not exactly experiencing the best time and my mother had to inform seven/eight-year-old me, as well as my 10-year-old sister, that presents would not be given to us that year. She emphasized that it had nothing to do with our behavior, as some kids may have seen it as a punishment, but more so to do with the current situation. For a while, it felt like the Christmas spirit had been completely sucked out of the house. We put up a few lights and some decorations, but we didn't possess the typical "American Family Christmas Season Starter Pack!" On the outside, I was understanding about everything and tried to convince myself that it was not about the presents. However, on the inside, I was hoping that it was some kind of trick my parents were playing to throw my sister and I off, but it wasn't.

On Christmas morning, we had breakfast and attended the Christmas service, which I can recall to be a refreshing plan. We spent the entire day together watching movies and enjoying one another's company. At the end of the day, I think we all decided that next year, even if we were in a better place in life, we'd spend Christmas in a simliar way. With that being said, some of my favorite and most memorable Christmas memories consist of attending a great service, eating a delicious breakfast, sledding in the snow, and returning home for hot chocolate and movies and laughter. It is important to emphasize that I was surrounded by people that I love and had I done any of the above by myself... it just would not have been the same.

Anyone could go out and buy a new gadget or gizmo for someone for Christmas, but five or 10 years later, that is not going to be the highlight of someone's holiday as much as the family Christmas party that your silly uncle Fred decided to host the following year. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy receiving presents, especially when people have put time and thought into them (those are the memorable ones), but I don't believe that this special and meaningful holiday should circulate around the materialistic. Otherwise, the purpose has been lost and there are memories that are not made. The holidays are about coming together and being in the present, not about receiving one.