Are You Ready For Christmas?

I often get asked in late November or early December the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?" It's a very interesting question for me because I always wonder, what exactly does it mean to "be ready for Christmas"? Each year it seems the answer could be a little different. For example, if the criteria is: Do I have Christmas lights up, Christmas music playing, decorations on the porch, through the house, and on the tree, and just the right gifts chosen, obtained, and wrapped for each person in my life that I have love and affection for, I think I'd have to say, "No, I guess I'm not ready for Christmas and I don't think I ever have been in the past either!" (Although, I do ALWAYS have the Christmas music part down, the day after Halloween!) But somehow, so many other things seem to come up like work issues, health issues, or financial issues and the ideal expectation of this Norman Rockwell Christmas image I have in my head comes up lacking. So, I either get to spend the rest of my life frustrated at my past (and most likely future) failures at being ready for Christmas or I can re-assess my perception of the question. Let's try, "What IS Christmas?" In my understanding, it is the celebration of the birth of a Savior into the world to bring to pass God the Father's ultimate purpose for His Children-- to be the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, to live a life of service and love and to preach the gospel of how to return to our Heavenly Father.

Nowhere that I'm aware of did He hang lights, garlands, stars, stockings or candy canes or give brightly wrapped exciting boxes or gift bags filled with delights! No HE didn't, but somewhere along the way WE started to—all in an effort to SYMBOLIZE the life he led. The lights symbolize His being the light of the world, the stars represent the Holy Star that led others to find Him, the candy cane symbolizes the white of His purity and the red of His blood He sacrificed freely for us, in the shape of a shepherd's staff as He is the Good Shepherd. The evergreen trees and garland symbolize his gift of everlasting life and the gifts themselves, of course, are our way of trying to somehow represent and duplicate His entire existence, which is, in and of itself, a GIFT.

It is an overwhelming task to try to have all the symbols in place and ready to go before December 25th. And sometimes, the effort can actually hinder the best way we have to symbolize Christ, and therefore Christmas, which is our own behavior, our own examples, our own lives. There are many wonderful experiences and activities that as individuals and families we can use to help us remember that all-important symbol. (Living in this world, I've been the recipient of countless examples. I wish I could recount them all, but you know who you are and please know that my life and my family have been enriched and we have felt the Savior's love at your hands.)

What it all comes down to is remembering that, in all the hubbub, Christ is not just a PART of Christmas, doesn't just FIT INTO Christmas, He IS CHRISTMAS. Christmas is a focused, intense pondering of His life, His example and His purpose. He was born to continue the work He accepted of His father before the creation of this earth. He was born to give us a personal invitation to participate in that work and provide a perfect example of how to do so. "...A work that God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past, that fired the souls of the ancient patriarchs and prophets; a work that is destined to bring about the destruction of the powers of darkness, the renovation of the earth, the Glory of God, and the salvation of the human family." (Joseph Smith, Jr., emphasis added)

Christ was born to come to the earth once. HE WILL COME AGAIN. This is Christmas!! Am I ready? Are we ready? Never is there a greater time to think on Him, His life, His teachings and our covenant we have made to follow Him. "There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for us all to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God with all our heart—and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all. As we lift our eyes heavenward, and then remember to look outward into the lives of others, as we remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive, we, during this Christmas season will come to see a bright, particular star that will guide us to our precious opportunity." (Thomas S. Monson)

If we sincerely and humbly seek what we can do to fill our lives with His work, He will show us how. In my opinion, (aside from the actual scriptural account), THE greatest Christmas story ever written is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and it doesn't matter if it is represented as a musical, a cartoon or even portrayed by the Muppets, I feel it is inspired by God, particularly the counsel that we, "honor Christmas in our hears and try to keep it all the year".

I pray there will come a day when I, when WE all can be asked in December, in July, in March, August, February or September, "Are you ready for Christmas?" and we can answer with a resounding "YES!"

by Tom Holdman’s wife, Gayle