Welcome to Famous at Home in five minutes.

Practical insights for creating a family of connection, celebration, and purpose.

Do you know what time it is?

Party time!

That's right. We could all use a good party this year, and Jesus' birth gives us the perfect reason to celebrate.

I remember as a kid celebrating everyone in the family's birthday the same way. We pulled out the

same decorations, the birthday banner, the colored balloons, and we always had a birthday cake made by

mom. But Christmas was different. It had red and green and candy canes and Christmas trees.

And though I was taught that Christmas was about Jesus's birth, it honestly never sank in.

Until one year, we celebrated Jesus's birthday just like we celebrated all the other members of the family.

With a birthday party and the same birthday banner and colored balloons.

And finally, it sunk in. It's his birthday. That's what all the lights and the shopping and

the decorations are for. So when our kids were small, we started to celebrate Jesus' birthday

as a family. But we also planned the party early. And just like asking our kids ahead of time

what they'd like for their birthday, we started asking what we think Jesus might want from us

as gifts for his birthday. Yeah, one year we bought new toys, wrapping paper and tape, and we took

it to a family who couldn't afford presents that year. Another year we went singing Christmas

carols to nursing home residents.

That's my favorite.

It's fun.

But we've also learned that giving gifts of our time and our money to others in need is a way we can give gifts to Jesus.

But in addition to those gifts, we plan a party at home.

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