As my family has grown older, the celebrations reflect changes. This year took on a whole new change. None of our kids came to our house. Each celebrated Christmas in their own homes with their children and did not travel to Nammy’s house. We spent a quiet and comfortable day just my husband and I. There were things about this transition that I didn’t mind so much. The children didn’t have to juggle their schedules to make possible the lengthy travel and expense of travel. That had to be a relief for them. It’s stressful to say the least. And I wasn’t concerned about their traveling hours and hours to get here or the expense of flying for them.

So this year is a transition year. No stockings were hung by the fireplace. That’s a first. No Christmas menu, only my husband and I here to consume whatever we felt like preparing. Quiet sounds mixed with the sounds of tv Christmas movies drifted through our house.

But this is where the magic of Christmas enters. Because we don’t have family here, no stockings, no Christmas dinner and/or traditional snack foods, and the house is not filled with the laughter and teasing that fills up the house when they are all here. Wouldn’t this be a prime time for the enemy to show up? And he would, if it weren’t for the magic of Christmas.

For you see, the change of circumstances forces us to experience Christmas in a brand new way. We have to replace the old way of celebrating and find a new way to celebrate. Dwelling upon the genuine Christmas story of Jesus’ birth calls forth an awareness of just how much God loves us and what He was willing to go through in order to save us from our sins.

This year, in order not to be pulled down by what we don’t have this Christmas, God made a way for us to be lifted up by what we do have. We have a Savior who sacrificed His heavenly home to come to earth and make a way for us to join Him there when this life is over. Can we even begin to imagine that?

So, changes happen! And while our Christmas celebration looks completely different than before, when we focus on what we still have, the magic begins to happen. And that is the magic of Christmas-the gift of Peace!