What’s your favorite part of the Christmas season? Is it streaming holiday music on repeat? Or maybe seeing cherished ornaments displayed on a pine-scented tree? Do you get a thrill out of gift shopping and finding that perfect present? Or is it baking plenty of seasonal treats?

No matter what your favorite part of the season, one thing is true for all of us. Christmas is more than the parties and presents, the cookies and carols, or the trees and tinsel. While we get excited for these things, they don’t represent what the holiday is really about, at its heart.

What is the meaning of Christmas?

As Christians, we know that Christmas should be a time of celebration, not just for the holiday itself, but for the hope, love, and redemption Jesus brought to the world. So how do we dive deeper into the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season? This is how we know the true meaning of Christmas:

1. God’s love revealed

Part of Christmas is gift giving, showing your love for others through carefully-chosen presents wrapped in festive paper. But no matter how much money and time you pour into a present, it will never match the ultimate gift: God’s love for us was revealed when he sent his son to earth to save humanity and draw us closer to him.

John 3:16 (NLT) is like the gift tag on the outer packaging, setting up the significance of the gift by saying, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

2. God is with us

The angel in Matthew 1:23 (NLT) repeats the words of the prophet, Isaiah, and declares the miracle of Christmas by saying, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

God is with us. In Hebrew, this is the meaning of the name, “Immanuel”. When Jesus was born in a stable, God became fully human so that he could walk among us. The God of all creation set foot in a manger just so he could be near us, experience life in the same way we do and provide us a path to salvation, through his son, Jesus. Christmas is the season that reminds us of how God draws near and how he comes alongside us in both our joys and our sorrows. Christmas is the celebration of Heaven coming to earth, and the reminder that God is never far from us. Jesus is Immanuel - “God is with us”.

3. We’re invited to receive grace

Christmas often comes with invitations. There are invitations to family gatherings, invitations to shopping events, invitations to workplace functions. These invitations might come through email, word of mouth, or appear in colorful envelopes peeking from your mailbox. But none arrive in the same way or with the same importance as the invitation God made to us, starting with that first Christmas.

God’s invitation is one of hope, grace, and redemption through the birth, death, and resurrection of his son, Jesus. It is a gift worth more than any other invitation we might receive because it is given selflessly, at great cost to the giver, even though humanity hasn’t earned it. Titus 3:4-5 (NLT) explains, “But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”

4. Light in the darkness

Have you ever driven around a neighborhood just to see all the Christmas lights on display? During the Christmas season, previously dark lawns become a wonderland of color and illumination. Typically blank windows suddenly showcase fluorescent flashes. The world is magically changed by so much light.

In the same way, Jesus coming to earth was a bright light in a dark world, bringing hope and joy in its glow. In a world marked by conflict and fear, Jesus is a bright beacon, promising a light no matter the season. Jesus is our hope at Christmas and throughout the year, just like it says in John 1:4-5 (NLT): “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

5. Giving and reflecting

Maybe you love the act of gift giving. You enjoy the thrill of finding that perfect gift for someone, better still if you find it on sale! You wrap presents like an artist approaching a canvas, choosing just the right colors, the perfect ribbon, the best gift tag. Who doesn’t like to receive a gift like that, chosen just for you and wrapped with loving care?

This Christmas, as you’re wrapping presents, take a minute to reflect on the most important gift of the season. Jesus is the ultimate gift to humanity, and he set the perfect example on gift giving. It’s not just about finding the perfect physical item for someone. The greatest gift we can give to others is to share God’s love and grace this season.

As Paul said in Acts 20:35 (NLT) – “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Understanding the true meaning of Christmas

This holiday season, whether you’re hanging ornaments, wrapping presents, baking cookies, or participating in any of the many activities the season brings, remember to take the time to reflect on the question, “What is the meaning of Christmas?”

We’ve been gifted the most precious present of all in God’s son, coming to earth and offering his life so that we can be saved. God loved each one of us so much he came near and gave us the priceless gifts of hope, love, and grace through his son, Jesus. After all, “...this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This is the meaning of Christmas.

This season, as you’re looking for ways to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, try some of these suggestions to draw near to the heart of God’s love:

Take some time to read the nativity story (Luke 2:1-20) especially with your kids on Christmas morning, before opening presents.

Make prayer a priority, sharing your gratitude to God for his gifts to all of us.

Attend a Christmas service - and invite a friend to join you. Go out for coffee afterward and talk about what Christmas means to you.

If you’re baking Christmas cookies, set some aside to share with someone who may need a reminder this holiday season that they are loved.

Send a Christmas card to someone you haven’t talked to for some time, reminding them of the joy of the holiday.

As you view Christmas lights, reflect on Jesus as the light of the world, bringing hope into dark places.

We hope you feel the presence of Imanuel, God with us, this season and experience the true meaning of Christmas!

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LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!