What will you say in your Christmas letter this year?
I confess that I am one of those people who loves composing and receiving Christmas letters. Maybe it is the writer in me, but there is something therapeutic to me about summing up the events of the past year in a single page and reminding me and all the friends and loved ones on my Christmas list that the Savior who was born for us in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago is still at work in our daily lives.
I love to hear the stories of how God worked in the lives of others during the past year and there is a sense in the very writing of Christmas letters that we are all in this together, that we are corresponding out of mutual love and respect and a bond with one another.
Sometimes in the writing of my Christmas letter, I make connections that I never thought of before and in the writing, I often have the feeling that I am writing to encourage myself and to support others in their daily walk with God.
This year has been a little more tricky because there are some sad things or things that were rather unpleasant that happened to me that I don’t really want to go into in depth. I don’t want to sugarcoat things, but I also want to express how even through the tough times this year, I felt Christ with me, teaching me, refining my faith and giving me confidence to carry on.
So when I do sit down to write it (which I will), my prayer is that my words will be honest and real and grounded in my relationship with Christ.
I am reminded of St. Paul, who wrote many a letter to his friends, who said,
“See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!” (Galatians 6:11).
He wanted to show the receivers how important the Good News of Christ was. So I plan to write in big letters, “Jesus Is Born!” across the top of my Christmas letter before I get to my “news.” Because, in the end, HIS story is the only story that matters.
