But being that Christmas is not a celebration of our birthdays (at least for most of us who were not born on December 25th) but of Christ's birthday, then our celebration of this day should be expressed with more than just: "Ooh! Look what I got!" It should also be expressed by: "Ooh, ooh! Look what I GAVE!"

A week ago, when I went over to our school to help prepare Christmas toy baskets to be given away to needy families, I was most encouraged by adult volunteers who brought their children with them. Why? Because I couldn't think of a better way to show them what Christmas is really about! There they were, picking out and preparing toys for someone other than themselves! Whether they knew it or not, they were celebrating Christmas ten days early!!

Christmas, after all, is about the birthing of Jesus not the pregnancy of Mary. To birth is to bring forth, share, give away! We celebrate Christ's going forth from the Father, and being shared with us ~ not by keeping this greatest of gifts to ourselves, but by giving it away! Can you imagine how uninspiring a Christmas carol entitled: Joy to Me! would sound? If the Advent season is about being pregnant with hope, then Christmas is about giving birth to Joy! And Jesus is Joy not just to me; he is Joy in the World!