Under the Christmas Tree By Mary Kay Grimaldi Christmas is about God’s gift to the world – His Son, Jesus. The Bible verse John 3:16,
says: “God loved the world so much, that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost but have eternal life.” One of the main reasons the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas time developed is to remind us of the gifts given to Baby Jesus by the three Wise Men: frankincense, gold, and myrrh. The visit of the Magi to the Christ child was originally celebrated on the Feast of Epiphany. The time from Christmas to Epiphany in the church calendar – December 25th through
January 6th – is traditionally recognized as the “12 days of Christmas,” from the old Christmas carol. The ancient church did not “celebrate” Christmas as much as “observe” it as a holy day. It wasn’t until modern times when the tradition of giving gifts to loved ones at Christmas became popular. We each give gifts at Christmas for our own reasons. For some, it is a way to celebrate the Christian holy day; for others, it is a special time to let family and friends know they are appreciated. Let’s visit with some Shell Point residents to learn what treats they recall …under the Christmas tree.
Shell Point Life | December 2015
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