Presents and Lights and Trees, OH MY!!!

So I haven't posted in quite a while because, to be completely honest, I've been too busy and haven't really had much to say. Christmas was wonderful and I actually enjoyed being able to go to church on Christmas day, though it was at 9:30 AM, instead of the usual Christmas program before December 25. My younger sister could hardly stand waiting around for an hour and a half for us to be able to go home so she could open her presents but for me, I felt it was a good way to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Christmastime is not for the presents and the tree but the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. His life and the things he did were the most important events in our history and yet this meaning gets lost behind the flashes of wrapping paper and the lights on the tree, the money spent and the food we get to eat. We celebrate other important people on days such as Martin Luther King Day or Presidents Day throughout the year. In elementary school we learned about the significance of these people in the world, their story and the impact they have had on us. But when Christmas comes around, its all about Santa and his elves making presents for good kids. My favorite parts about Christmas are the Christmas program at church or the gospel message our family does on Christmas Eve. I love listening to the spiritual Christmas songs that make me cry when I take the time to listen and believe in the words of the song. This is what Christmas should be about. The birth of the most important person, our Savior, and his sacrifice for us. We should take the time to remember him every day throughout the entire year and try to live like he lived. I know that he lived and died for me and I hope that in the spirit of Christmas, I too can live and love as he did. I hope everyone enjoyed this holiday season! Happy New Year!