Theme: Birth of Jesus
Merry Christmas
Christmas was just around the corner. Julia and her
mother were decorating the house, tidying the tree and
the ornaments with great care.
– I love Christmas, Mom! – said Julia
– it's not just because we get presents. I also like it
because our family gets together with Aunt Catarina and
grandma. I like the decorations and even the songs.
– I like it a lot too, daughter –
said Lourdes, Julia's mother – it's my favorite holiday!
- True! I didn't even remember that
it was a holiday, because at that time I'm on vacation
from school – said Julia – but what do we celebrate at
Christmas, Mom? Is it the holiday of giving and getting
presents?
– No, little girl! Christmas is a
very special holiday. It's actually the most important
of the year. It is at Christmas that we celebrate the
birth of Jesus. Jesus was the most evolved spirit ever
born on Earth. He was so good and so wise that people
try to follow his teachings and his example to this day.
- Oh yes! Now I remembered it. How
funny, it's Jesus' birthday, but we're the ones who get
presents – said Julia, smiling.
- Yes - agreed the mother. – There
are many traditions at Christmas, which were
incorporated in different ways, over time, by each
person, in each country. Here we have ours. Giving gifts
should remind you of the gesture of the three wise men,
who brought gifts to the baby Jesus when he was born.
– The three wise men aren't those
dolls from our nativity scene? – asked Julia.
– The nativity scene is a scene that
we set up with dolls, to remember the birth of Jesus. By
the way, let's set up ours so I can tell you how it went
- said Lourdes.
She and Julia then took the pieces of
the nativity scene, which were in a box, and began to
arrange them on a small table, next to the Christmas
tree. As they set them up, Lourdes told the story of
Jesus' birth.
“Mary was pregnant, soon Jesus would
be born. But she and her husband Joseph had to travel
because the emperor wanted to register all the people
and for that Joseph had to be in the city of Bethlehem.
There were no cars at that time, they went on foot.
Maria, being pregnant, was mounted on a donkey. When
they arrived, they were very tired and wanted to find
accommodation to spend the night and rest. But they
didn't. All the places that received travelers were
already occupied, as many people also had to go to
Bethlehem.
Joseph only managed to get them a
stable for the night. Stable is a place where animals
are sheltered. That night, in that stable, Jesus was
born and placed in a manger, which served as a crib. A
manger is the trough where the food for the animals to
eat is placed.
Jesus, the most important person on
Earth of all times, was born in this humble place among
the animals. And that's why we put the cow, the horse,
and other animals in the nativity scene.
When Jesus was born, they say that a
very strong light shone in the sky above where Jesus
was. As people had already been warned by the prophets
that someone very special would be born, some people
understood this light, which they called the star of
Bethlehem, as the sign of the Messiah's birth. They
followed that light and managed to find baby Jesus and
his parents. It is said that they brought him gifts.
That's why our nativity scene is like
that. Some have only the dolls that remind Jesus as a
baby and his parents. Others, like ours, also have some
animals, the wise men, and the star of Bethlehem. But
the main idea is for us to remember this very happy fact
that was the birth of Jesus.”
- That's great! – said Julia –
Christmas is really special!
– Of course it is! – the mother
agreed – the decorations, the food and the presents are
good, but the most important thing is that at Christmas
we can exercise kindness and wish Merry Christmas from
our hearts. At Christmas people remember more about
Jesus, the love he taught us, and they are inspired to
help or please someone. This is the loveliest part of
Christmas. It's what makes us have a really happy
Christmas!
Julia smiled, understanding what her
mother was teaching about the true meaning of Christmas.
The two finished arranging the decorations and, when
everything was ready, Julia and Lourdes hugged and said,
happily, to each other:
- Merry Christmas!
Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com
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