When the wise men came into the house, they came for one reason: to worship Jesus. Worship also should be our activity when we come into this house.

I think that many people see a nativity and focus on the infant Jesus. Perhaps, everything else in the nativity is considered to be scenery.

The imagery of the Nativity has been around since the 5th century, at just about the same time that the church began celebrating "Christ's Mass", or the people massing around Jesus. Had you ever considered that the Nativity is just as much about the people (angels, Mary, Joseph, Magi, shepherds) massing around Jesus as it is about God coming to us?

Indeed, if we are not responding to the coming of God among us, then the whole miracle is quite pointless. Our massing before God is just as much a part of this season as is his coming to us. This is the "Christ Mass" ... which we have shortened to Christmas.

So much of our sense of decor and festivity surrounding the Christmas season has its roots in the Victorian era. At that time, Christmas became "packaged". The package is a nostalgic vision of a warm home, full of life and good cheer. This package was developed during a time of cold and harshness outside, and that became the essence of the Victorian Christmas: the contrast between a harsh, cold, backbreaking life outside with a warm, loving, and content inside.

This is a wonderful theme of Christmas ... well ... assuming that both sides are emphasized. And much too frequently we might emphasize the warmth and nostalgia without first approaching Christmas from out of the cold, harshness of the world.

Indeed, the foundation of Christmas is humility - thinking not of ourselves and looking for something greater than ourselves, which ultimately brings us to a place of contentment. But, it will forever be difficult to experience the genuine warmth of Christmas without also experiencing the humility of Christ.

Every year, millions of well-off kids around the world are told of the story of the mythical character named Santa Claus who lives at the North Pole with his tiny elves and reindeer ... he makes toys that will be distributed back to this group of well-off kids, further increasing their horde of goodies. Year after year during December, this is a live action drama that parents and children play out.

But, what of the other children throughout the world? Did Santa really visit them? Or rather, did many wake up on Christmas morning wondering whether or not they will have food to eat that day?

The story of Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) is not one of a man who gives more and more things to the well-off ... but it is the story of a man who gives to the poor and underprivileged.