Each December, across the world, millions of people celebrate Christmas in one way or another. No matter how you choose to celebrate it, or if you choose not to celebrate it, it is a day that everyone is familiar with. From the North Pole to Antarctica and from Japan to Florida, everyone celebrates Christmas differently.

To some, Christmas can be trying to out do everyone else when it comes to gift giving, or celebrating the birth of Jesus. For my family, Christmas has always primarily been about celebrating the birth of Jesus, but we still exchange gifts on Christmas morning just like everyone else. But gifts are not what Christmas is about. Christmas was never about the gifts and never will be. Christmas is about something so much more than gifts. For me christmas is about the birth of Jesus, spending time with my family, and being able to give others gifts.

One thing that almost everyone can agree on is that Christmas is a time for spending time with our loved ones, making new memories, and traditions while still keeping with the old ones. Up until about two years ago, my parents, sister, and myself spent Christmas Eve with my dad's parents eating a dinner consisting of creamed corn, honey baked ham, apple pie and many other delicious foods, and after that opening our gifts. After cleaning up the wrapping paper explosion we would say our goodnights and get ready for bed and Santa's arrival. Even after we got Santa's cookies put out there were usually several gifts that were left to be wrapped despite having been wrapping presents for several days ahead of time. When it came to Christmas morning we would get up open our presents from "Santa" and each other and then eat breakfast, get dressed and go to my mom's parents' house and have our Christmas with them. When my grandparents moved to Florida, our tradition changed to no longer going over to their house on Christmas morning. This year we will be having our Christmas with my dad's parents on the 23rd instead of the 24th because I have to work. There was one year where our Christmas was totally different from all the years before, because we were traveling.

Whether you're traveling 5 miles or 5 days, over the river or through the woods to get to grandmother's house it's the effort that counts and will be meaningful to her even if you get stuck in an airport. My family doesn't usually travel more than thirty minutes away for our Christmas with my grandparents but the one year we did, in 2008 we spent christmas in Angle Fire, NM at a family friend's cabin. Despite driving 9 hours from home, my mom's parents, sisters, and their families joined us in New Mexico for a few days to celebrate Christmas. A few days later my other grandparents joined us there for New Year's Eve. We ended up having to leave late one night after New Years because another snowstorm was headed our way and had we stayed we would've been snowed in under nearly a foot of snow.

My point is that no matter where you are or what you do Christmas is more than getting the newest and most expensive toys. It's about celebrating the birth of Jesus and spending time with family.

Merry Christmas!