How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of the heav'ns.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

The countdown to Christmas has already begun at our house. The first Christmas gift list showed up the other day and the questions about where, and when, and how we will celebrate Christmas are being asked. I'm not ready for this! I'm not ready for the annual struggle between the way the world celebrates Christmas and the way my heart longs to prepare for Christ's birth. It's not that I'm a modern day Scrooge - I love to exchange gifts, decorate our home, and drink in the sights and sounds of the holidays, but I always end up feeling disappointed. My intentions are never fulfilled in the ways I expected and once again I find myself asking, "And what did this really have to do with making room in our lives for God?"

For years now our family has tried different ways to simplify our Christmas traditions and center them around Christ's birth rather succumb to all of the commercial hoopla. One year we "adopted" a family in the community and bought gifts and provided a holiday meal for them. Another year we set a strict budget for holiday gifts and trimmings. Last year we picked names in our extended family and exchanged gifts with one person. Each of these options has provided some interesting experiences for our family but every year we face the struggle in new ways. And while I don't like that, nor am I ready for it again this year, I have to admit that it is an important struggle.

This year we will be aided by the booklet, Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway? - Ideas for a Christ-Centered Holiday 2002. These booklets are available on a table in the narthex (one per household). The booklet is produced annually by Alternatives for Simple Living, a group that organized in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas. Dare I say that I look "forward" to sitting down as a family and talking about how we will choose to celebrate Christ's birth this year? It's never an easy discussion in our household but after skimming through the booklet I think it has some great suggestions. There are ideas for alternative gift giving, devotion and reflection materials that can be used with an Advent wreath, and more. I invite you to join our family in using this booklet in your Christmas celebrations. Hopefully we will all find meaningful ways to experience the joy and peace of Christ's birth this year.

Bonnie