The world is full of wrapping paper!

Well naturally it is Christmas after all, and no doubt Santa Clause is busy wrapping all those presents for the children he will be visiting this Christmas.

Grown-ups will remember the excitement they felt when they discovered what Santa Clause brought to them. As children, we were encouraged to put our socks above the range so that he could fill them with lots of presents. My father had a nasty habit of filling our socks with cinders and later producing some small present to each of us. This was the 1950’s, a time of rationing and a shortage of money, a little went a very long way.

It is amazing sometimes to see how happy little children can be, not only with the present they receive, but with the wrapping paper itself which they might spend more time playing with. Many families will be struggling again at this time of year to provide for their children, and no doubt the pressure of Black Friday to spend more than they can afford, must make matters worse.

The real meaning of Christmas cannot be explained by nice presents, irrespective of how beautifully they may be wrapped. The Saviour of the world is born into the humblest of circumstances in a stable in Bethlehem laid into a manger of straw. The poverty of this event is replicated many times over in our world today, as we witness war torn countries reduced to makeshift homes suffering violence, disease and starvation. God sent his only Son among the poor where He is to be found today. These are the people who are waiting for our presents, and I am sure they will not mind if they are not wrapped in expensive Christmas paper.

Fathers, Simon, Gary and Canon Bill look forward to celebrating Christmas with you again this year, giving thanks to God for the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

May He fill your hearts with His presence unwrapped, of love, peace and joy.

Wishing you all the blessing of Christmas