It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
“But the angel said to them, “I bring you good news of great joy . . . there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
In 1963, Andy Williams recorded one of the most popular Christmas songs: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” While the lyrics speak of activities totally unfamiliar to the holiday celebrating today, its continued popularity is no doubt due to the remembered and the hoped-for fun times with family and friends during the Christmas season.
This was so true of my family and traditional expectations for Christmas. Two weeks before the day, my grandmother would begin making her treats for the feast to come. She filled the house with Christmas décor: candles, nativity scenes, garland, Christmas tree lane, and the always admired scene under the Christmas tree: a gingerbread house in a snow-covered forest with a deer pulling Santa’s sleigh off the roof.
And the most wonderful part of it all was the presents! I was usually so excited about the presents I didn’t eat much dinner and would have to go back and snack after the presents were opened. It was all truly “the most wonderful time of the year.”
While I will forever treasure these memories as a child, I am now a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and now realize we were missing a key aspect. We neglected the most wonderful reason to gather together and celebrate. Christmas was the moment God became a man so that He could save us from sin and grant us eternal life in Him. Is there anything more wonderful to celebrate?!
Andy Williams was not wrong when he sang, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year; however, it’s the most wonderful time of the year because Jesus Christ came into the world so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life! May your Christmas be “the most wonderful time of the year” celebrating with your family the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
James Dykmann, MABT Degree Major
