Guest Post--Ruth L Snyder

The Essence of Christmas

By Ruth L. Snyder

Our guest post today is by Ruth L. Snyder. She was privileged to spend the first ten years of her life in southern Africa where her parents were missionaries. Ruth now lives near Glendon (the pyrogy capital of Alberta, Canada) with her husband and five young children. She has had articles published in Testimony, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and FellowScript. Ruth is a member of the Christian PEN, The Word Guild, and currently serves as President of InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship. Reading, writing, blogging, crafts, photography, and travel are activities Ruth enjoys in her "free" time. For more information on Ruth and her writing, go to http://ruthlsnyder.com.

Writers are challenged to condense each story down to a one- or two-sentence tag line. What would be your “tagline” for Christmas? In other words, what does Christmas mean to you? If the pretty lights, snow, times with family and friends, baking, tasty treats, and frantic shopping disappeared, would it still be Christmas? This is one of the themes I explore in my new novella, Cecile’s Christmas Miracle.

Maybe you’ve never stopped to think about the essence of Christmas. Where and when did Christmas start? What and why should we be celebrating?

According to Dictionary.com, Christmas is “the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus: celebrated on December 25 and now generally observed as a legal holiday and an occasion for exchanging gifts.” “Before 1150; Middle English cristmasse; Old English Cristes mǣsse Mass of Christ”

The Bible tells about the birth of Jesus Christ in several passages:

“18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:18-21 NIV)

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” (Luke 2:1-7 NIV)

“8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:8-20 NIV)

“and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:9b-11 NIV)

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV)

If I had to condense all of this down to a tagline, I would say Christmas is celebrating the gift of salvation, available to us because of Jesus Christ.

Do you think I’ve accurately captured the essence of Christmas? Is there anything you would add or subtract from my Christmas tagline?