With Christmas only days away I’m thinking more about what Christmas is and what it isn’t.

Like me, you are likely busy with all the preparations like gift buying, tinsel throwing, tree dressing, light hanging, food purchasing and budget worrying. Is your head spinning yet?

Considering all that, I’ll make this as brief as possible. Our family are currently on neighbour watch. You see, Christmas for our neighbour is not the same as our usual family Christmas experience. Several years ago on Christmas day her son, who had experienced relationship breakdown, decided he would end his life. Every subsequent year our neighbour relives her pain, grief and great sense of loss of her son. It’s completely understandable that her usual Christmas is not like ours. But when you think about it, the message contained in the Christmas story is for people just like her. She knows what it is like to have loss of relationship, love and devotion. And that’s precisely the purpose of Christmas. It fills the gaps, understands, heals our pain, and gifts to us a love so unassuming and unconditional.

The real Christmas story is the story of God coming into our world of loss and pain, becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Saviour of love! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8).

Beautiful things can come out of tragedy. We are all testament to that. Perhaps we can put aside from our minds the hustle and bustle, tinsel and worry about finding the perfect gift to give and remember that the perfect gift that we can give this Christmas just may be ourselves, in the words we say and the companionship we provide. It’s a little late after Christmas thinking that I could’ve- should’ve. Just do it and be an expression of the ultimate Christmas gift given to all of us –Jesus!

While this video Simply Beautiful is not the traditional Christmas packaged clip, it does in essence contain an important Christmas message. This young man is faced with making an awful decision to let his mum die but he had never told her before how much he loved her. While he was nearly late with his words of love to his mum, his message to us is timely and will be my Christmas mission this year, which is – To live simply so other people can simply live.

Our family will reach out to our neighbour this Christmas. We will offer the simple things we often take for granted. Companionship, a listening ear, our time, and words that genuinely reflect we appreciate her being our neighbour.

As we remember Jesus birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of those around us who need real joy. May you share the joy of a simple Christmas with those around you this year.