It’s that time of the year again. The last Ember month of the year, December is here with all the Christmas festivities. December is the twelfth and final month of the year of the Gregorian calendar and the first month of winter with 31 days. It was originally the tenth month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE. The month kept its original name from the Latin word decem meaning “ten.” The Latin name is derived from Decima, the middle Goddess of the Three Fates who personifies the present. December is known around the world as a family time of celebration honoring cultures, religions and traditions that have been with humanity for hundreds of years. It ushers in the season of love and gift-giving, the greatest is God’s giving us His son, Jesus Christ to come to us.
The Winter Solstice, also known as Midwinter (sun set still in winter) occurs in December21 or 22 holds recognition of rebirth, involving festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations. Many cultures celebrate a holiday near the winter solstice which includes Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, New Years, Pongal, Yalda and many other festivals of light. Christmas celebrations mark the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s not your birthday but Christ, so celebrate Him not yourself. According to Matt Slick, “The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus who lived in Israel 2000 years ago and who died on the cross for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 1 Peter 2:24). His purpose was to enter into the world and become one of us, that He might deliver us from our sins (Matt 1: 21). The birthstone for the month is the turquoise which represents prosperity, success and good fortune while the birth flower is the Paper white Narcissus which symbolizes rebirth and respect.
Monthly Observation: +Aids Awareness Month; +Bingo’s Birthday month; +Egg Nog Month; +National Drunk &Drugged Driving (3 D) Prevention Month; +Fruit Cake month; + National Pie Month; + Safe Toys and Gifts Month; + Spiritual Literacy Month; + Universal Human Rights month; +Worldwide Food Service Safety Month; +National Stress Free Family Holiday Month; +Take a New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking (TANYRSS); + Read a new book month; and + write a friend month. Nobel Prizes are awarded
Some Fun Fact & Events: Dec 1 – World Aids Awareness Day; Dec 3- International Day of the Disabled person; 1967 – the 1st heart transplant was completed; Dec 4 – National Cookie Day; Dec 6 –Hanukkah (6-14th); Dec 7 – International Civil Aviation day; Dec 10 – Human Right Day; Dec 13 – International Children Day (2nd Sunday); Dec 14, 1791-the Bill of Rights was passed; Dec 17, 1903 – the Wright Brothers made their first flight; Dec 22 – Winter Solstice (Northern); Dec 24 – National Chocolate Day; Dec 25 – Christmas Day; Dec 26 – Boxing Day; Dec 27 – National Fruitcake Day; Dec 29, 1862 –the bowling was invented; and Dec 31 – New Year Eve. December being the last month of the year affords us opportunity to reflect and celebrate God’s faithfulness and goodness; prepare for Cross Over to New Year and New Beginning.
Birthdays: Few Celebrity birthdays in December include : Woody Allen (12/1), Lucy Liu (12/2), Walt Disney (12/5), Larry Bird (12/7,) Frank Sinatra (12/12), Bob Barker (12/12), Taylor Swift (12/13), Jamie Foxx (12/13), Vanessa Hudgens (12/25), Ludwig van Beethoven (12/16), Samuel L. Jackson (12/21), Sir Isaac Newton (12/25) and comic book icon, Stan Lee (12/28).
Some Inventors Birthdays: Dec 1: 1743 – German chemist Martin H. Klaproth discovered uranium; 1912 – Architect Minoru Yamasaki designed the World Trade Center; Dec 2: 1906 – Peter Carl Goldmark developed color TV and LP records; Dec 3: 1937 – English shoe manufacturer Stephen Rubin invented the Reebok and Adidas line of shoes; Dec 11: 1781 – David Brewster invented the kaleidoscope; Dec 13: 1816 – Eric Werner von Siemens was a German artillery officer and inventor of the electric elevator; Dec 15: 1852 – Scientist Antoine Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity and won the Nobel ; 1861 – Charles Edgar Duryea was an auto inventor who built the first auto in the United States. Prize in 1903; Dec 16: 1890 – Harlan Sanders invented Kentucky Fried Chicken; Dec 19: 1813 – Irish chemist and physicist Thomas Andrews discovered the ozone; 1849 – Henry Clay Frick built the world’s largest coke and steel operation; 1903 – English biologist Cyril Dean Darlington discovered hereditary mechanisms; Dec 20: 1805 – Thomas Graham founded colloid chemistry; 1868 – Industrialist Harvey S. Firestone founded Firestone Tires; Dec 25: 1643 – Isaac Newton was a British physicist, mathematician, and astronomer most known for his discoveries in the field of gravity; Dec 30:1851 – Asa Griggs Candler invented Coca-Cola; 1952 – Larry Bartlett invented a photographic printer.
Discipleship Digest reflects on the topic: “Christmas and why we celebrate it” Christmas is supposed to be a time of the year we celebrate the birth of Christ. Many folks have different view and opinion of Christmas. Lorelei Nettles defines, “Christmas is associated with a lot of things that bring people happiness and comfort: getting together with family, big meals, parties, decorating, shopping, gifts and travels.” Some love the idea and fascination of Christmas: the gift under the tree, lights in the window, turkey dinner with family members, stockings hanging in the living room and the greetings of ‘merry Christmas’ to those passing by us in the streets. Others simply associate Christmas with holidays, family reunion and assorted food. These events and things aren’t bad at all but are these really what Christmas is all about? It is still believed that many have no real knowledge of what Christmas is actually all about. But unfortunately, it’s a commercial holiday rather a Holy day. Folks get involved in various season’s projects and activities, all the stuff we do: gifts and cards to be bought, food to be cooked, presents to be wrapped, letter to be written and together with cards mailed; parties to attend, turkeys to be stuffed, and Churches to be decorated and attended. All the hustle and bustle of the season with Hugh commercial racketing resulting to obligations, lots of stress and of course regrets.
Denn Guptill, stressed that Christmas is neither a holiday nor just the more things we do for ourselves or other people. It is not about Christmas gifts we present or exchanged. That brings to mind that Christmas isn’t merry for everybody. These celebrations can heighten feelings of loneliness and despair and of course sadness. How do you explain Christmas to a baby whose parent got laid off of work and could not afford to put presents under the tree or fetch good stuff for their children? Does it mean there is no Christmas? Christmas is not about despair. Christmas becomes a time to comfort the sorrowful and extend gifts of love to those in need. Isaiah 40:1-2 admonish us to comfort “my people” and speak comfort to Jerusalem……(2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Others see Christmas as the tree and inflatable nativity scene on their front lawn during this season. These are removed and packed up on January 1st and put away for another year. These people put Christ in Christmas and that’s where he stays, even after Christmas, he is forgotten. Christmas is not a religious celebration, a Day or Event. As long as we see Christmas as December 25th or view it in broader sense as “The Christmas season,” we miss what Christmas is all about.
What then is Christmas? Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ and should make a difference in how we live every day not just December 25. “With the birth of Christ, we celebrate changed lives, a changed world and changed eternities.” If Christmas doesn’t change your life, it means you have missed it. God was born in human likeness – the Divine took upon himself the limitation of humanity. Jesus came to give eternal life not a holiday, not what we do not Christmas present and not religious celebration. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the son of God. Jesus Christ into the world to change lives, change our world and change our eternities. By this unique event, God shows His love to mankind; it could be a time of healing and renewed strength.
Why do we celebrate Christmas? “The unifying biblical factor is that in Gal 4:4-5 – “When the right time came, God sent his son, who was born from a woman and lived under the law. God did this so that we could buy the freedom of those who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us his children. According to Got question.org, the angel appeared to the shepherd the night Jesus was born and said, “Don’t be afraid, I have some very good news for you –news that will make everyone glad. Today your Savior was born in David’s town. He is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). i. Jesus birth is “good news.” We celebrate good news; ii. The good news of Jesus birth causes “great Joy” and will be “for all the people” – the joyful celebration would be universal. People all over the globe would be glad for the event; Iii. “Today our savior is born” He’s the Messiah, the Lord. Jesus is the Savior who delivers us from sin and death (Matt 1:21). He’s the human Messiah (or Christ) who fulfills the law and the prophets (Matt 5:17). And He’s the divine Lord who has entered the world. God and man have been fused together in an indivisible eternal bond: God is surely with us (Matt 1:23). Jesus is the reason for the season.
GQO further illuminates: iv. We celebrate the Savior because we needed salvation and deliverance (2 Cor. 1: 20); v. We celebrate the Lord who humbly took on “the very nature of a servant” for our sakes (Phil 2:6-8). We celebrate Christmas with gift-giving because of the “indescribable gift” that God gave to us (2 Cor.9:15). We celebrate Christmas with lights because Jesus the light of the world has come to us (John 1:14; Isaiah 9:2). We celebrate Christmas with carols and Choirs because they represent expression of Joy; following the examples of Mary & Zacharias and Simeon and the angels (Luke 1-2). We celebrate by decorating evergreen trees with stars and angels and tinsel because of the eternal life Jesus brings (John 4:14). “God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December” – J.M. Barrie
No matter how you may feel about the year and even the month of December, you can still be glad and joyful at Christmas. This Christmas is an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ into your heart and the joy and peace you receive will last for eternity. You become a son or a daughter of God; heaven rejoices because of you and make a home for you that last everlasting. The gift of peace isn’t an absence of war; it is an internal peace (John 14:2. The gift of peace does not come from believing in a baby Jesus born in manger, but from believing and following the man Jesus became and not just head knowledge but a heart knowledge. God has made it possible for you to know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ and experience peace and an amazing change in your life. You can make that DECISION now. I wish you all MERRY CHRISTMAS and Fruitful New Year.