By Alvin Agaba
When most of us think of Christmas, all we think about are Christmas trees, lights twinkling from house to house, presents and Christmas carols.
To some, Christmas is about endless feasts, fun, making merry and enjoying the much-needed break.
One will tell you this is a season of giving that gives a sense of belonging too. Everyone seems happy and fulfilled in their own way.
Families travel from cities to villages to spend quality time with their loved ones. This season also gives us a break from a year’s work routine.
Where I come from in Kabale district, the sound of drums wake us up for Church. The Christmas drum sound is different from other Sundays. It is louder and lasts longer.
You can easily see a joyous atmosphere throughout this season; children running and playing around the Christmas trees while expecting presents.
At least every child is ready to wear a new outfit. When I was younger, this was the best part of Christmas- having a new dress.
Some parents make it more magical by claiming to be delivering gifts to family members on behalf of Santa, whom we named “Father Christmas”.
But the magic does not stop at exchanging presents. The real magic is in the birth of our Savior which we celebrate. That is why I call it a magical season of the year.
Meaning of Christmas
What is the true meaning of Christmas? The truth about and real meaning of Christmas is clear in the Bible.
This is the day God’s love was expressed by the birth of a Saviour.
The birth of Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, and the Bible makes it clear that the true meaning of Christmas is love.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3: 16).
Because of this love, we need to celebrate and share the love with others.
We can only share this love through helping the needy, praying for the sick, giving hope to the hopeless, and generally transferring the love to our neighbours.
The true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate this incredible act of love.
The real Christmas story is that of God becoming human being in the person of Jesus Christ. One might ask why God had to do such a thing.
The reason is because He loved us and wanted to express that love to us.
By celebrating Christmas, we are embracing God’s love through Christ and also acknowledging Him as one who came to save us from sin and suffering.
We ought to acknowledge Christmas day because good news is worth celebrating.
So, every year, we remember the good news of a baby born – one who was to redeem the world.
While we celebrate, we also need to express our worship of Him who was born for our freedom. What a joy to the world!
New Year
A new year is like a new beginning, a fresh start. After embracing Christ and celebrating His birth, it is important to also embrace the transformation which He makes in our lives.
Jesus Christ makes us new. This means celebrating the new year also means celebrating the new us.
However, it does not stop at celebrations. We can look forward to experiencing a new year, having brighter hope and faith, responsibilities, new ideas, and goals.
We are required to get guidelines on how the year should go.
We also need to improve the things or behaviors that were in the previous year and set new resolutions for ourselves.
Being grateful for the previous years, hard or smooth, having been given a chance to live through it is a blessing.
Self-discovery could be one of the resolutions as so many of us have lost ourselves due to what life has thrown at us.
As we step into the new year, let us promote love and unity. That is why Christ came. He encourages us to live as one family.
Share the same love God has shown you to others. This is the greatest commandment and gift of all. Peace be with you. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
The author is an inspirational writer
alvinagaba07@gmail.com
