devotions and reflections

I have always been a huge fan of Christmas trees. For me they are the best symbol for Christmas especially growing in South-east Asia where snow and holly trees don’t exist. Well, Christmas trees are a joyful thing to see especially when there were presents. Well, that was what I have grown up with.

When I was in elementary I remember wrapping a mangrove tree with white paper–every single twig. Christmas trees for me is an indication of celebrating the season. I admit I sometimes take for granted the real reason for the season. Perhaps it’s because I don’t believe that Jesus was born on December 25. For me Christmas is merely a festive season, a time of giving and forgiving, of family reuniting and celebrating and a time of long holiday break.

Some of us believe Christmas is a pagan practice and therefore putting up a Christmas tree is becoming one. However, I wanted to justify my putting up a Christmas tree and so I searched Ellen White’s books, letters, and admonition on this tipic. And I was surprised to find out this.

 ”On Christmas, so soon to come, let not the parents take the position that an evergreen placed in the church for the amusement of the Sabbath school scholars is a sin; for it may be made a great blessing. Keep before their minds benevolent objects. In no case should mere amusement be the object of these gatherings. While there may be some who will turn these occasions into seasons of careless levity, and whose minds will not receive the divine impress, to other minds and characters these seasons will be highly beneficial. I am fully satisfied that innocent substitutes can be devised for many gatherings that demoralize.

Christmas is coming. May you all have wisdom to make it a precious season. Let the older church members unite, heart and soul, with their children in their innocent amusement and recreation, in devising ways and means to show true respect to Jesus by bringing to Him gifts and offerings. Let everyone remember the claims of God. His cause cannot go forward without your aid. Let the gifts you have usually bestowed upon one another be placed in the Lord’s treasury. . . . In every church let your smaller offerings be placed upon your Christmas tree. Let the precious emblem “evergreen” suggest the holy work of God and His beneficence to us; and the loving heart-work will be to save other souls who are in darkness. Let your works be in accordance with your faith.”