Evangeline Breland

The Week Before Christmas Evangeline Breland

With gifts to buy and wrap, candy to make, cookies to bake, decorating house and yard, parties and family gatherings, Christ often doesn't hear "Thank you" and "Happy birthday" from us. The hustle and bustle of Christmas often sees Christ taking a backseat to all holiday activities until you sit back and observe all the empty boxes and paper.

The family in this book is racing toward Christmas with all the whirlwind activities and anticipation of gifts under the tree. They are running around, making sure everything is done and ready for Christmas morning.

It is not intentional to get too busy for Christ; it happens if we don't make Him the biggest part of our celebration.

As all the activities of the week wind down to Christmas night, the children go to bed thinking of all the wonderful beautifully wrapped surprises awaiting them under the tree. As morning comes, the children race in to the Christmas tree when Dad asks them to wait, something must be done before gifts were opened. He had them sit down and listen to the most wonderful story. He reads how Jesus came down from glory and explains the most wonderful gift that we could ever be given.

Jesus received the thanks, honor, and glory before the gifts were opened; and the children realized what was truly important.

If you don't have a tradition of reading about Christ on Christmas morning, this can be the start of a wonderful tradition for generations to come.