Christmas

As stated in other blogs, I paint tags. While at a bank, one of the tellers asked about my tags. I showed her a stack of 55, which she kindly commented on. Observing I didn't have any nativity tags, she asked if I'd consider painting one. I had 17 Christmas tags…snowmen, snowflakes, poinsettias, holly berry, Christmas lights, trees, ornaments and candy…but not one nativity or Christ-centered tag. We celebrate Christmas because of Christ’s birth – why hadn’t I thought about painting one? I loved her idea and painted the two pictures to turn them into tags.

This is one of the tags

I dropped off a bag of her favorite Christmas candy, along with my new nativity tags. I wanted her to know that I appreciated the idea.

I put both styles of Nativity tags inside the baggie
 with the mints to thank her for the idea. I don't know her except
that she's often the teller at the bank I go to, so it was fun to
drop this off to her. 

I recently read a Facebook entry written by Dallin H. Oaks. He once analyzed a stack of Christmas cards he had received and sorted them into three groups.

The largest group of cards (47%) were not religious in nature, but they had the words “Merry Christmas” on them, connecting the card to a religious holiday. Twenty nine percent of the cards did not mention Christ or Christmas at all and only acknowledged it to be a season of peace, joy and love. Only 24% of the cards actually mentioned or showed pictures representing Christ’s birth. 

I love everything about the Christmas Season - more family and friend get-togethers, good food, lights, trees, music, snowmen, and so on. I love it all.  And yet…I am totally aware of, and committed to, the fact that Christmas gives us an opportunity to celebrate Christ’s birth. I am grateful for Dallin H. Oaks reminder that Christmas is about Christ. And I am also grateful for all the wonderful religious celebrations that take place at this time and the opportunity to celebrate His birth.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6; 2 Nephi 19:6).

(Note: the link above takes you to Dallin H. Oaks Facebook. If you scroll down to December 15, 2015 you will find his comments about the Christmas cards)

PS If you want any tags for Christmas, check out my Etsy store: TagsByTrudy.