What makes Christmas Christmas?

When I was a kid, I loved Christmas. But then again what kid doesn't love Christmas. I loved to get up really early on a Saturday morning and drive out into the country to the Christmas Tree Farm. Then my brothers and I would run to look at every tree until, for the only time all year, we would agree... this was our tree! Then we'd take turns with the saw cutting away at the trunk and all carry it back to the parking lot where my Dad would throw the tree on top of our VW Van. When we got home there would be hot chocolate and cookies. We would string popcorn and cranberries to brighten up our tree. As we put the ornaments on the tree the stories would be told. About how John was born the day after Christmas and Dad wanted to stop by the church on the way to the hospital to turn off the Christmas lights. Or the ornament I made in kindegarten of a mouse out of a empty film cannister.
December 6th would come around and my brothers and I would creep out of bed and wake our parents as we ran downstairs to see what St. Nick had left in our stockings. After we were surrounded by toys and candy, we would reach into the toe of our stocking and pull out our oranges. As a family we'd eat our oranges along with our pancakes. Then off to school where I'd tell everyone what I got from St. Nick and they would look at me like I was from another planet. Afterall, most of the kids get their stockings on Dec. 25th, not on the 6th.
I loved Christmas, and I mourned its loss after the divorce in our family... with loud wailing and gnashing of teeth... if you don't believe me ask my brothers. So this begs the question... what makes Christmas Christmas?
For some it is giving gifts, for others eating a meal. For man,y Christmas is about gathering as a family. Christmas is at its heart a celebration of the birth of our Lord. It is the "MASS" of "CHRIST." When I think about what happens at the mass I remember what Christmas means to me: we gather as a family of God(the Body of Christ), we eat a meal together, and we remember the ultimate gift of God's Son. We are blessed to be a blessing to others, we are given love so that we may give love. So luckily, for people like me who love Christmas so much, the spirit of Christmas is celebrated all year, the giving of ourselves because of God's giving of the Son. The loving of our neighbors because God first loved us. The sharing in a meal, with family to celebrate the birth of Christ. And what's more... God invites us to become like a child and creep out of bed to see God's gifts of selfless love.