Christmas is one of the most celebratedholidays in the world. People around the world gather together and spend quality time together in this season. Different people have different interpretations of Christmas and celebrate it in
different ways.

The meaning of Christmas has been debated over the years and has been attempted to be explained by the use of different pop culture items. From music, to television, to movies, but what really is the meaning of Christmas?
Whether you believe in him or not, Santa Claus is a big factor in Christmas. You know, the guy in the red suit that climbs in your chimney and leaves you presents.

Everyone has seen him or heard of him at least once in their life. He is the literal embodiment of Christmas, a jolly fellow who is contempt on giving you things you want. You have to be good of course. Kids everywhere try to make it on the so called “nice” list. This drives them to act extra nice in order to achieve this position. It is a tradition for children to know about this jolly fellow, it is what brings us together.

The concept of present giving has become a fundamental part of Christmas as well. It is safe to say that there is more to it than just gifts. It is of course nice to receive presents from family members and friends but it’s really about giving love and compassion. This is the “Christmas spirit”. Nothing brings people together better than showing love for one another. Christmas somehow has the power to do this. Everyone seems to be a lot more generous. This makes us see that this time of year has a focus of not receiving but actually giving. Giving to people in need, family and friends, it doesn’t always have to be about gifts.

So we see that this holiday triggers something quite special inside of people. We don’t usually feel this generosity, at least most people don’t. It brings a time when people decide to shed happiness upon others life. The Christmas spirit is about making other people happy. This concept has been cemented into the minds of those who celebrate and with that comes, the meaning of Christmas. This means to not think of how much you can get, but of how much you can give.

However, some may not believe in Christmas but celebrate other things, like Hanukkah. Even if they celebrate Christmas a different way, or don’t celebrate it at all, their holiday depending on the religion of course brings their family together. It is the time of year that family can spend time with each other and be much more generous than they normally are.

The meaning of Christmas must be and always has been about giving and generous. Stop thinking of yourself for a minute, and try to reflect happiness on to others. The presents you receive are just a little extra thing, but we should not focus on that being our main goal. It is all about being compassionate, and sharing happiness with both family and friends. Enjoy the presence of family and friends, andfocus on giving rather than receiving