Reading the testimony below from a family who swapped their Christmas tree for a nativity scene, I came to the conclusion that it depends… It depends on the focus we place on Christmas, and I realized that perhaps my focus hasn't always been the right one. Maybe it's because I haven't reflected enough on the magnitude of the gift that was Jesus' coming into the world. So, here's a part of Dollie's testimony that I read here:

“As a child, I believed 100% in Santa Claus, so the Christmas tree for me was a reminder of the promise of gifts I would receive. It was a symbol of all the wishes I imagined and the anticipation of what I would find on Christmas morning. Once the presents were opened, the Christmas tree no longer held my attention and no longer gave me hope for something yet to come…. Despite being the same tree that had captivated me 24 hours earlier, it had lost its promise, and along with it, my excitement.

When we swapped our Christmas tree for a nativity scene, we discovered that our focus shifted to the greatest gift ever given. Having the nativity scene as a symbol of Christmas in our home helped us remember throughout the Christmas season, and even after the presents were opened, that we are still waiting for something… a promise.

The simple nativity scene reminds us that Jesus' birth had a purpose; and His gift of salvation, though already available to us today, is the gift of eternal life that keeps us looking to the nativity scene in the same way I used to look at the Christmas tree. I long for His promise… His return… His gift of eternal life.

Replacing our Christmas tree with a nativity scene has been very good for our family to focus on the gifts that Jesus' birth brings us. It doesn't change how we celebrate with our family; on the contrary, it enhances our anticipation of the gift that is yet to come.”

This Christmas, even if you don't have a nativity scene in your home, remember that the greatest gift doesn't lose its significance at the end of the 25th; it continues because it is our Great Hope… eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Read other articles about Christmas here.

‍