It's that time of year again. The time of year where the radio stations have begun to play Christmas music, the stores are promoting their Christmas decorations, and Toys 'R Us is sending out humongous gift catalogues to every house in the nation.

   It's Christmas time. Like one carol says "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

   But what does Christmas really mean? Does it mean that a fat guy in a red suit comes down and magically gives you presents if you were good all year? Does it mean that it's a holiday full of "I want this...I want that."

  To me, Christmas is more than decorating the tree and the rest of the house, baking cookies, and buying gifts for people I love. Christmas is celebrating Jesus' birth on this earth. The same little baby from the manger scene grew up to be the One who saved us all from sin and death.

   To me, Christmas is not only sharing time with family and friends, but the day to really imagine what it must have been like the day Jesus was born.

  What was it like when Mary and Joseph were unaccepted into the inns and were led to a stable to give birth to the Christ? What did the shepherds think when many angels stood before them singing about the Messiah's birth? What did the three wisemen think when they were told to follow a star?