The Story of Christmas

I am not a great fan of the modern day Christmas. I feel quite aggrieved that the true meaning of Christmas is largely forgotten and had been replaced by gaudy tinsel and loud music in supermarkets, usually with Noddy Holder singing 'Here it is Merry Christmas' and television adverts, once every ten minutes, advertising supermarket products, especially the one that starts 'Doesn't it seem a lot like Christmas' sung by a Bing Crosby type person, that one drives me mad!!! So I thought I would Blog, in my own words, a brief reminder of what Christmas is really about and tell the story of Christmas. I hope I can tell it accurately and most importantly simply, so that people will read it.

At a previously appointed time, after God had made a promise to the people on earth, he sent an Angel - Gabriel - who was sent to Nazareth in Galilee to Mary a humble Jewish maiden. Mary was about to be married to Joseph the local carpenter. Although Joseph was a carpenter, the Great King David was his ancestor. Gabriel told Mary that she was to be the mother of the Holy one, the son of God.

Just before the baby's birth, the Roman Emperor ordered all his Jewish subjects to travel to the place where they belonged, so that his officers could count the number of people. There were many people travelling about because of the census of the people. When Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem they were told the local Inn was full. They then had to shelter in the stable, and it was here that the son of God was born. His mother laid him to sleep in a manger.

Men did not know who had come to live among them, but angels appeared to some shepherds and gave them the news. The shepherds thought they would go and see the new baby for themselves and so they walked to Bethlehem.

Eight days after his birth the baby boy was given his designated name JESUS which means 'for He shall save His people from their sins'.

Many months later a star appeared to three splendidly dressed wise men (or Magi) and they followed the star to Bethlehem where they placed Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh before the baby.

Mary and Joseph and their son Jesus stayed in Egypt as long as King Herod lived and then they returned to Nazareth where they settled. THIS is why we celebrate Christmas - for the birth of Christ.

In 2008 I have been hard pushed to find Christmas cards depicting the story, even in the Christian book shop in Newport, and this is what makes me so mad and so fed up with all the razzmatazz surrounding this season.

Of course there is a lot more to this story, but I wanted to outline the basics, very simply to encourage children to read it and understand it, and know why we celebrate the day, for I doubt in these days of multi cultural faith, where many school have stopped producing the nativity plays, that the younger generation know much about this story.

I am sure there will be a lot more said on this Blog about what makes me annoyed about the way we prepare and celebrate Christmas before the day itself arrives, so be prepared for more moans!