I love Christmas. I love celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And, I love seeing the happiness on loved ones’ faces when they open the gifts I painstakingly picked out for them.

I think the reason that Christmas means so much to me has to do with the struggles I had to overcome in childhood just to celebrate the holiday.

When I was a small child, I lived on a farm. The nearest neighbor was miles away. So, I was very isolated. It was difficult to see my friends.

That’s where church comes in.

I loved going to church every Sunday. Not only did I delight in learning about Christ, but Sunday School was also a time when I could see my friends and other kids my age.

A few years later, my mother converted to a different religion and my father disowned me to start a new family with a new wife.

That made Christmas very hard, because my mother didn’t allow me to celebrate any Christian holidays in her house. I tried bringing home a Christmas tree once and was told I couldn’t have it in her house.

I had a bit of a passive aggressive streak, so when I was told I couldn’t have a Christmas tree, I started decorating my mother’s house plants with ornaments. I thought it was funny as heck, but it really pissed off my mother.

When you are told you can’t express your religious beliefs, it becomes a true test of character. Can you maintain your faith in silence? Or, do you give in to the contrary set of beliefs being forced upon you by an authoritative figure?

I never swayed from my Christian beliefs. That is a point of pride for me.

So, now that I’m an adult (in age if not in maturity lol), I love celebrating Christmas because I can do it openly with great joy and love in my heart.

No matter what your religious beliefs, I wish you all joy and prosperity in whatever holidays you celebrate.

Be true to you.

Peace. Love. Trust.