Why We Celebrate Christmas

It’s the day before Christmas Eve, and if your house is anything like mine, it’s probably buzzing with last-minute wrapping, grocery runs, travel plans, and that one family member who still hasn’t told you what they want.

But before we get too caught up in the hustle, I want to pause and ask a simple question:

Why do we celebrate Christmas?

I mean, really, why?

Because if we don’t take time to remember the reason, we risk getting lost in the routine. The twinkling lights, the gifts, the traditions… all good things. But they’re not the thing.

We celebrate Christmas because God came near.

Not as a king riding in with fanfare. Not in royal robes or behind palace walls. But in the stillness of the night, in a quiet town called Bethlehem, born to a young woman who had more questions than answers, and laid in a manger surrounded by animals and awe.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14). That’s it. That’s why.

God, in His perfect love, wrapped Himself in skin and stepped into our broken world. Why? Because we couldn’t reach Him, He came down to reach us.

We celebrate because hope took its first breath in a barn.

Because the cries of a baby named Jesus meant salvation had finally arrived. Not just for the people in that time and place, but for us. For you. For me. For every sin, every struggle, every shame-filled moment, we thought disqualified us from God’s love.

Christmas is the celebration of God’s promise fulfilled.

From Genesis to the Gospels, God was always pointing to this moment. The birth of Jesus wasn’t Plan B. It wasn’t random. It was always the plan. From the garden to the stable, God was weaving redemption into every chapter of the story.

And while the world waited for a warrior, Heaven sent a child.

Not just any child. The Child.

Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

That’s who we celebrate.

Not the gifts. Not the tree. Not the music or the food. All of those are wonderful, but they’re just the wrapping paper.

The gift is Jesus.

So as we step into Christmas weekend, let’s slow down long enough to remember what this is all about. It's not just about a baby, it’s about a Savior. It’s about love that came low so we could be lifted up. It's about light breaking into darkness. It’s about joy, even in the middle of chaos.

And it’s about the greatest gift ever given, grace.

So gather with your family, laugh a little louder, hold each other a little longer, and let Jesus be at the center of it all.

That’s why we celebrate.

Merry Christmas.

—Lisa