All you need is love

The Christmas holiday season has begun! It is now officially the time where people start decking the halls, going home for the holidays, jingling their bells and rockin' around their Christmas trees. You will see signs all over for holiday sales, signs for parties being held and signs for Christmas cheer. But in all this hustle and bustle, in all of the signs of Christmas, look for the true meaning.

Fir Tree - The pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of our thought turning toward heaven.

Bright Star - The traditional tree topper is the heavenly sign of promises long ago...God promised a Savior for the world, and the star is the sign of fulfillment of His promise.

Candle - The candles we light around the holidays symbolize that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Wreath - The wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

Santa Claus - A symbol of the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.

Holly - The leaf represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berry represents the blood shed by Him.

Christmas gift - God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son. Thanks be to God for this unspeakable gift.

Candy cane - This represents the shepards' crooks. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper.

Bell - The lost sheep are also found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. It symbolizes guidance and return.

Angel - It was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men.

After seeing the signs, you can't help but realize that the true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love. The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself. Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate. The true meaning of Christmas is love...and yes, Virgina, Jesus loves you.