"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manager; because there was no room for them in the inn." - Luke 2:7.
Christmas is the big gift-giving holiday in the United States. For me it became a month-long marathon of shopping, baking, decorating, and social activities.By Christmas Eve, I was too exhausted to enjoy our family gathering, which usually meant dinner for 20 to 30 people.
One Christmas season, in preparation for a Relief Society lesson, I found a quiet moment to re-read the Christmas story in the second chapter of Luke. I paused as I read the seventh verse.
Suddenly, I knew what made my Christmas holiday so exhausting. I was so busy filling every room in my heart with shopping, baking, decorating and other activities that, like the inns in Bethlehem, there was no room left in my heart for Jesus.
Now that I knew the problem, I could find a solution. I looked at all my activities and traditions that I felt compelled to do and evaluated their worth in the eyes of the Savior.
By emptying my life of meaningless activities and keeping those that were Christ-centered, I was able to make room for the Savior. I found time to enjoy my family and the true meaning of Christmas.
