Where is the Manger?
Every Christmas my children receive an ornament that represents their life for the past year. A soccer ball, basketball, golf bag, cat, guitar, front door, piece of luggage, rocking horse, airplane, cabin…the list goes on. Each ornament points to an interest, a milestone, an adventure, occupation or trip. When laid out in chronological order the ornaments provide a snapshot of their lives. The tree becomes a hanging scrapbook of special memories.
This practice continues today. This year, our daughter will receive a Southwest Airline plane marked with each state she visited this year for residency interviews and our son will receive a fireplace mantel for continuing this family tradition. Taking up the mantle with his children will give my granddaughters a life of memories to celebrate every Christmas. In addition to enjoying yearly memories, I want my grandchildren to have something that will help them celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. So, for them, I give a nativity ornament each year so that when they have a tree of their own, it will be decorated with the manger scene.
One would think finding a nativity ornament would be easy, but that has not been my experience this year. In November I began looking online as well as specialty shops and Christmas displays. The selection was limited. Having just returned from a trip to Minneapolis (traveling with my daughter for an interview) where I spent most of one day at the Mall of America (largest mall in the US), my search for an ornament was unsuccessful. There were lots of stars, snowmen, reindeer, and Santas, but no nativity ornaments. In fairness, I did not have time to hit every store, but I perused many.
Where is the manger? The manger, with the baby whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas, the Christ-child, the Savior of the world, is scarce. Its absence is sobering. Shop after shop celebrated with twinkling lights, shiny ornaments, and holiday music (different from Christmas music). There were ornaments with a cabin theme, a beach theme, and ornaments depicting food, sports, and occupations, but no babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
I have nothing against all the adorable ornaments that are available-remember I purchase something different every year for my own children. But this year, as I searched in vain for several weeks, the omission of Christ has given me reason to pause.
What are we celebrating? If Christ is gone from Christmas, there is no Christmas! Our culture is quickly moving away from the true meaning of this historic, world changing event. Tell the story, again and again to your children. Sing it, read it, pray it. Our children must know the importance of this story. The greatest gift ever given came from God. He loves us so much that He sent His Son to earth in the form of a baby. This Christ-child came to reconcile us to God. Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin and restores a relationship with God for all who by faith believe in Him.
Christmas songs proclaim the wondrous story. The Bible tells the events of that starry night. When you gather Christmas Eve and Christmas morning give the manger prominence in your celebration. Read the account together and sing songs of remembrance (Luke 2). Receive the peace, the joy, and the love, offered by this gift from above.
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-12).