Day 24: Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve, which has always been my favorite day of the year. I’m big on anticipation, so as a child, knowing that the next day was Christmas was almost better than when Christmas finally arrived. There’s always something a little anticlimactic and a tad depressing about sitting around in a room full of torn wrapping paper and unwrapped gifts. Or maybe not.

Anyway, I’m keeping it short and sweet today—just the Christmas story from the Bible—so I can stop typing and try to enjoy this Christmas just a little bit. Here you go:

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. . . .

And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring to you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. (Luke: 2:1­­–14)

Have a Merry Christmas, everybody!