Christmas has a unique spirit. The air tastes different. The songs are different and people treat each other differently. What makes this season so magical? The spirit of Christmas has the capacity to change men.

Charles Dickens in his A Christmas Carol said of Scrooge:

“Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have to have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind any way, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.”

How ironic that mocking is a common reaction to another’s growth and learning. The spirit of Christmas is about change. It’s about giving and understanding that true happiness cannot be found in self-serving actions. Only when we are in the service of our fellow beings can we serve God.

When children, our excitement grew day by day as we anticipated the arrival of Santa Claus and all that surrounds the festival. Therein lies the lesson. For the Christmas spirit starts out like a child, dependent upon others to nurture, care and love.

As we discover more about the well-fed man in the red flannel suit, we share in the giving while continuing to anticipate the receiving. Here is the tipping point, if the Christmas spirit is not allowed into our hearts at this time, then the memory of Christmas past will always exceed Christmas present and Christmas future.

The true spirit of Christmas is in the giving. The faces of children and eventually grandchildren have no earthly equivalent during this season. And if seeing the joy of our children is great, imagine the joy of our Father in Heaven who gave us His Son as a gift.

Jesus Christ, in turn, gave all that He had, even His life that we may live. Whether you profess a belief in the birth of the Savior or not, the true spirit of Christmas is found in man’s ability to have compassion and love for another.

The feeling from within exceeds in magnitude that of any earthly riches. “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son.” It is the love of family and others that perpetuates the spirit of Christmas.

For one month, above all others, our spirits are touched and our hearts are warmed.

May the spirit of a Merry Christmas swell within your heart this season!