Christmas Eve

Our 2024 tree. 12/8/24 dwm

 Throughout my life, I've considered Christmas Eve to be the right day to celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. 

 It started at school, St. Paul Lutheran in Janesville, Wisconsin, where each of the 10 years I was a student (kindergarten - 9th grade) I joined my class and the rest of the school as participants in the school's Christmas Eve service. 

 The school gymnasium was packed with families, alumni, and members of the church who wouldn't miss the celebration. After the service, students received a gift, a small paper bag packed with peanuts and Brazil nuts plus an apple and orange.

 The Christmas story in the Bible takes place at night, where we meet the shepherds watching their flocks by night when an angel broke the news about what happened in town. 

 Most churches have at least one, if not more services Christmas Eve. Many of them don't hold one Christmas Day. I'm confident the day and the time you choose to go doesn't have an incorrect answer.

While taking part in those Christmas Eve services, our immediate family would open presents after returning home from church. We traveled to see grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins on the 25th, or, if it were their turn, they came to our house.

 

Since we moved back to Wisconsin, we've gone to the Christmas Eve service at St. Paul. They don't have a children's led service anymore, they have three service in the sanctuary of the church. It's a stirring service with some features our recent churches didn't have; first and foremost a pipe organ that you can feel in your chest when a familiar hymn is played. Whenever we get back there, it feels like home.

 

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2: 8 - 17 (New International Version)

 

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to then, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 

Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another; "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

 

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.