Christmas is a holiday celebrated the world over on December 25^th to commemorate the birth of Jesus (Eastern Orthodox churches, however, celebrate on a different date according to their calendars).  We do not know the actual day of Jesus' birth, but setting the date of Christmas as December 25^th came about during the fourth century and is believed to have been fixed on that date in order to coincide with existing pagan holidays related to the Winter Solstice. 

Here in the United States, we have so many different cultures represented that it's hard to say what an "American" Christmas is (for traditions in other areas, see the links below).  Christmas has become increasingly commercialized, but despite that, it is a very special time for many, one that is focused on families and the needy in our communities.  We have adopted holiday traditions from around the world, such as decorating Christmas trees and hanging stockings for Santa Claus to fill with gifts.  Families build their own traditions beginning with elements from "the old country", adding new ones as the family grows through marriage or moves to areas with different customs.  Some families exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, others on Christmas morning, with many people traveling thousands of miles to be together.  As with any other holiday, we use it as a great excuse to bring out all the secret family recipes and have a grand feast, which can include anything from Nana's inedible plum pudding to Ate Gilda's lumpia to Chinese take-out!  In recent decades, Christmas has also become a day for relaxing on the couch to watch a special football game or two and is one of the busiest nights in movie theaters across the country.  Many of our churches sponsor food, toy, blanket, and coat drives for the sick or homeless.   It is also a time when we as disciples need to reach out to our neighbors, co-workers and friends, remembering that the suicide rate is highest during these weeks.  In this brief season when it temporarily becomes more acceptable to talk about Jesus, let us not forget our purpose and how blessed we are to have the hope that comes from our relationship with God and draw the lost around us into our homes and our lives.