Joy A. Mead

Every Christmastime, our children excitedly open boxes of Christmas decorations and transform our home into a festive, inviting space as we enter the season of Advent—waiting for Jesus’ birth.

Charlie helps set up our large Christmas tree in our dining room, I get out all the ornaments, and Anna and Luke enjoy putting up their treasures—painted salt dough ornaments created at school, beaded Christmas trees, and pom pom pinecones. To anyone who must have a well-balanced tree with all matching ornaments, this might be too higgledy-piggledy, but it suits us just fine!   

Our most underrated decoration is a small, skinny 3ft Christmas tree that goes in our front room. It is very basic, yet I love it and what it represents. That little tree was Charlie and my very first Christmas tree together which we purchased for our flat before having children. We didn’t have loads of money (still don’t!), but we were happy and content as we set up our first home, little by little. 

Putting up that tree and decorating it always reminds me of having gratitude for humble beginnings. We were so happy to have our own space and a chance to make it our own. It was small yet comfortable and more importantly, ours. We weren’t so concerned about having lots of things, but instead, we were thankful to finally be living in the same country and to have the opportunity to set up life together.

As I think and ponder over what the first Christmas would have been like, I know it was incredibly humble. No big fanfare or luxurious accommodation for the Son of God’s arrival—instead, just a lowly animal shelter. And I believe that in all of the stress and chaos of being rejected by crowded inns, Mary and Joseph would have been truly grateful for the stable. In their eyes, it would not have been ideal, however God provided for them and made it enough. 

There weren’t midwives present to help Mary through her labour. There wouldn’t have been any practical comforts for giving birth. With a new marriage, new baby, and no family close by to help them as they fled to Egypt for safety in Jesus’ early years, there was nothing cosy and inviting about the situation. Yet what continues to amaze me, year after year, is that God sent love down with His Son into a messy, challenging, wild scenario. 

Despite the unlikely situation, God provided the most beautiful rescue plan to reconcile and restore His relationship with us. It had nothing to do with extravagant presents, delectable food, and Santa Claus. Instead, Christmas had and still has the love of our gracious God at the heart of the story. 

Though I do enjoy all of the Christmas festivities from baking gingerbread to tree decorating, school nativities, and making a Christingle, I want to always remember first and foremost,  the beautiful gift that was offered most humbly, lovingly, and sincerely. That first Christmas, God’s own Son met us right in our messy humanity to show us the pure love of the Father.

Whatever your Christmas looks like this year, I pray that you will have peace in your heart to know that God’s provision is always enough. No matter what festivities you do or don’t do, please be reminded that God loved you enough to send His Son. And celebrating His birth is truly all that really matters. Let each one of us be filled this Christmas with a graceful humility, a deep gratitude, and a lasting joy.