It's Christmas!

0:06 Hi, hi, hi, hi. Merry Christmas. Of course, I have to start with that. Merry Christmas. Like yay, Jesus was born, glory to God, Hallelujah. First off, I know normally I read this episode on Fridays, but then I have to make an exception like today's Thursday is Christmas. So let me just read this episode today and of course Tips is about Christmas, but it begs to ask the question what is Christmas about? So I did this thing where I went to my status and asked people just give me the first 3 words or things that they associate with Christmas.

0:50 Like when you think of Christmas, what are the first three things that come to your mind essentially. And I had a myriad of different opinions or things that people are to say. Some, some people said Christ, some people said Jesus, some said God, which is nice, expected, good, you know, that's good. So we will say someone said, where's the chicken? And that person was like, oh, there's joy, there's hope and the food and the loving families. And that person said workload, family, food. And that person was like Jesus gathering, feasting.

1:24 Someone said Hallmark movies I could release because some days back I watched Home Alone 1 and it was just love like UAE. The nostalgia was off the roof. Took me back to the kudo days, not like today. These days are bad but I hope you get it. Someone said cooking work stress and I really sympathize with this person. I figured a lot of people who are probably first borns will probably be able to relate to a certain amount of stress in this period anyway, depending on the household that you come from or how things are done or whatever traditions you have during Christmas or festive seasons.

2:01 So someone else has chicken, that kind of thing. I'm surprised what he said. Father Christmas, maybe it's 'cause there's no really young person or it's not as common anymore, but I don't know. But the point is there are so many things that we associate Christmas with so many things. Rice and oil. I literally workplaces and my workplace, I collected my rice and oil and it was very, very stressful getting at home ball Anyway. So a lot of people of course think of Christmas and they think oh, rice and oil.

2:31 A lot of people think of Christmas season and they think couples in matching P GS. I am part of those people that think about it like I will not even lie. I love the idea. I love it. Something I probably want to do my partner one day, God willing. Anyway, I'll talk about a friend of mine who is like, oh, Jesus will come for that time isn't bother about that, but I'll be petty even though I already talked about it. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that there are so many things that are associated with Christmas and because that it's so easy to forget the actual reason for Christmas.

3:07 Now some people will say Oh well a Pagan holiday was this was it that honestly speaking, I don't care and you shouldn't too. It's not one of the core tenets of the Christian faith. It does not affect the data of Christ. It does not affect the data of the Spirit, does not affect the Trinity. He does not contradict Jesus physical birth, him coming down to I don't know, I don't like this. I don't I don't see, I think some people just want to just most of people that usually say this is they probably have an issue or a bone to pick.

3:40 I don't know if that's the right term, if that's the right idiom. I can't remember, but they basically have an agenda. I hope you understand that one that they want to push forward and stuff like that. They're not saying that or maybe genuine concern or things like that. So I really don't or some people say, oh, the Christmas tree was something that was used in cults of idolism. Honestly speaking, again, I don't care. I think it's even a wonderful thing how we can take some of these things that were used to glorify God knows words and symbolize it or bring it to a Christian town.

4:17 But the point is, Christmas is supposed to be about celebrating the birth of Jesus. And we see so many times, maybe on a person's birthday they can't have their birthday celebration that day. They decide OK maybe two days later or a week after when all of my friends and family can gather together, we'll have my birthday celebration. Or maybe a family gives birth to two kids and their birthdays are close inside to just celebrate their birthday. Have a birthday party on one day, not on 2 separate days.

4:46 So I don't think all celebrating on the 25th really does always such a bad thing. The idea is just we pick a day to celebrate and honour the birth of our Lord and serious, I think that's such a beautiful thing. And so there's this thing, I think it's common to Nigerian parties or Nigerian birthdays. I don't know if it's a worldwide thing. You can let me know how it goes from your side or from your own end. So there's this thing where it's the person's birthday and then you walk up to the person, so many good, best, oh, happy birthday.

5:18 What do you have for us? What do you have for us? What are we going to get and things like that. And I don't know, I think it's a bad habit or a bad mindset that we have. If you're someone that's like this, I promise I'm not trying to make you feel judged or put you on the spot, but I just think it's not the best. Like you probably want to think, OK, what can I do for this person? How can I make this person's birthday nice? What can I do to honour them or to make them happy? Well, then most times it's like, oh, what can we get?

5:44 What are you sharing? What do you have for us? And stuff like, and I'm just like, I don't know, it's a bit, it's a bit off. It's a bit off. And so with Jesus birthday or with Christmas, it's like, OK, in a bit to celebrate Jesus birthday. They share stuff with people, you know, like Jesus Christ was born. It's a cause to celebrate. And so we also celebrate, which is not a bad thing. I think where it's now a bit off is when people now begin to leverage and OK, like this is a season where we can get a lot of free stuff.

6:14 And then you just forget about the actual reason for the season. So they are going around, they are collecting the rice, the oil. Again, not a bad thing. I definitely will not tell you that food is a bad thing. Sometimes I eat food and I'm like, glory to God, God most exists. This did not happen by mistake. But you know, so many people get so many things go here, oh, are you not going to do Christmas for me and stuff like that. And then they forget the actual reason for the season. And then there's the other end of the people who are actually doing the good things.

6:40 You know, there's a story of Miriam, Martha in the Bible. Martha is walking so much that she forgets to sit at the feet of Jesus and say, it's so possible that you do so many things for so many people in this Christmas season, but you don't actually talk to the birthday celebrants. The actual birthday celebrants is that country where you could go for a birthday party. Maybe it's a one year old. It's you too because the one year old cannot do much after a while when they start playing games. Like the one year old is just sitting down in one place, maybe watching from a comfortable place because you don't want to have to get injured or things like that.

7:13 You know what, maybe it's even a bigger party. Maybe it's even for someone that's even older. But simply because it's such a big party, so many things are going at the same time. It's so possible for you to even be at the party and not have contact with the baby celebrant or not talk to the baby celebrant. And some people actually go or such a birthday party, they will call it their pack or whatever food that should and not even think, OK, what can I give the birthday celebrants? And so it's very, very possible that this happens with Christmas like so many times with us.

7:41 I saw someone post something about Christmas like plan for Christmas was simply to sleep eats, sleep eats, I think watch a movie or something like that. That's another thing that a lot of people symbolize with Christmas like room comes. I won't even lie, like I love some of them as well. Christmas room comes, you know, like Christmas miracle with that kind of thing. And so there are so many things that we will do that we forget to actually celebrate and honor the birthday celebrant. And maybe you've not forgotten or you don't forget.

8:08 I think that's lovely. I think that's great. I think you should keep it up. The message I basically want to pass to you is this, Don't forget to celebrate the birthday celebrant throughout the day. Maybe you want to be very, very intentional about this or pick out a time. Pick out something that you can do to actually let the birthday celebrant know that you are happy he was born. You are happy that He came here in flesh to dwell with us. He came here to do such a wonderful work that set us free.

8:35 What I means setting out time to intentionally worship him. What I means praying. Whatever it is that you want to do, just ensure that you do something. Just ensure that you celebrate him. You don't just celebrate the season. You don't just celebrate with family. Celebrate the actual celebrants. So I think that's pretty much it's, again, it's not a long episode. I didn't think I was going to say much. I think I just wanted to just say something as regards the whole Christmas topic. I hope you like the episode and it was short, but I hope you enjoyed it.

9:08 But more than that, I hope you enjoy Christmas. Like I really hope that you enjoy Christmas. I'm currently not even at home. I'm at my cousin's place with his wonderful family. So I think it's going to be a world of good being away from the house or mostly a week from work to God for that. Well, yeah, take care of yourself. Merry Christmas once again, stay with it. Bye.