What Do We Celebrate?
by Kathy Dillenbeck
Christmas, 2005
What is Christmas all about? What do we celebrate?
What is so significant about this special date?
Is it about Saint Nicholas, his reindeer, and his sleigh,
Or all about young Rudolph whose red nose once saved the day?
Is it about the shopping where we go from store to store,
Where we feel each year we have to give so much and even more?
Why do we feel we must compete, give more than we are given,
That if we fail to give enough, our life’s not worth the living?
Is it about the credit cards we use when we should not?
Where the balance lasts much longer than the gifts we since forgot?
Is it about the carols that are wafting through the air,
Or all about the countless sales it seems are everywhere?
Is it about the colored lights that shine from coast to coast,
Or all about the gifts we give to those we love the most?
Is it about green-needled trees and pretty decorations,
Or about the smiling faces hiding dreadful desperation?
Is it about the movies that abound this time of year,
Where anyone can go enjoy some cinematic cheer?
Is it about the stores that try to sell things we don’t need
Or the thankful, hungry families the Salvation Army feeds?
What makes this day so special? What started all this fuss?
It’s all about the Gift God gave to every one of us.
The Gift He gave was Jesus Christ, His one and only Son,
The One He sent to ransom us – yes, each and every one.
The Son of Man came humbly as a baby in a manger,
And spent most of His years on earth in clear and present danger.
He came to die so we could live, redeemed and justified.
He came to pay the price for us, when He was crucified.
God gave to us the perfect Gift and so we celebrate
The birth of Jesus, Son of God, upon this special date.
This Gift is one we cannot earn; there’s not a thing that we can do.
Accept the Gift--the Son of God; everlasting life will come to you.
So when you see the Christmas lights and hear the carols ring,
Rejoice and thank the Father, lift up your voice and sing.
For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son
That whosoever will believe becomes a ransomed one.