What really makes Christmas special

Right!

So this is where I start getting twitchy. Choirs have already been practising their Christmas repertoire for a few weeks now. Others, who don’t necessarily sing, have just happened to mention that their Christmas cakes are in the oven – like two weeks ago.

Or people have dropped in to the conversation that they have almost done their Christmas shopping. No-one has said they are, but I can sense many who are itching to get their already-written cards in the post... and I have done absolutely nothing about Christmas. Zilch. Zero.

Our youngest offspring has told me that she has invited three foreign friends to join us for Christmas because otherwise they will be on their own in Edinburgh.

A young Swiss lad, who stayed with us during his teenage years and whom we look upon as our ‘borrowed’ son, has announced he would like to come for Christmas with his girlfriend. Both of these plans we have no problem with at all.

Then there are the grandparents and our siblings to factor in – again, no problem.

But this year, as 23rd December is a Sunday that means there will be a service on the Sunday, followed by a service on the Monday as Christmas Eve at 11.30pm – and then there’s one on Christmas day too! EEEK!

Actually (come closer to the paper to read this because I don’t want everyone to know... no – closer still... shhh... ) what I want to tell you is that even with all the hype and the stress, I like Christmas!

With so many in the house, there may not be too many presents to go around, but there will be lots of food and banter and a real sense of everyone coming together and pitching in.

And for me, that’s what makes Christmas so special.

It is not about what we get or even what we give. It’s about being with those we love and who love us.

That might be about being with one other or, as looks likely for us, with 20 others!

Having someone to share the celebrations with, though, is far more important than anything that might be under the Christmas tree.

Which is exactly the point of Christmas. The baby in the manger came not to bring us gifts, but simply to be with us. How cool is that?!

Good news to those who will celebrate Christmas alone – and even better news to every one of us. It doesn’t matter whether you’re organised... whether you’ve made your Christmas cake or you’ve managed to buy all the presents you would like to buy, it is those who love us and those whom we love are what counts.

And if we share a bag of crisps on the day or a whole roast turkey, it doesn’t really matter. What’s important is being with those we care about and who care about us.

And no on cares more than God himself – Susan Brown.

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