Jimmie Sheffield retired as associate executive director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention in 2003 and currently assists the Evangelism+Church Health Team.
Since early childhood, I have really enjoyed the Christmas season. As a child, I didn’t understand fully what the real meaning of the season involved.
After becoming a Christian and learning more about the “reason for the season,” I began to think more seriously about the meaning of Christmas. I didn’t forget the fun of giving gifts and having Christmas parties, but I knew that Christmas was about the birth of Jesus.
After marriage and the birth of two girls, we really had some good times during the Christmas season. Being together as a family, sharing gifts, and participating in special services at church became a regular part of our Christmas celebration.
I also served on a church staff as minister of music for several years. During those years, we always celebrated Christmas with a church Christmas musical. My wife, Annette, played the piano, so we were able to celebrate Christmas in a unique way as we prepared and presented the Christmas musical.
Now that we are older and have grandchildren and great grandchildren, we continue to celebrate Christmas together with our entire family (about twenty adults and children). Let me share how we celebrate this special season of the year at this stage in our lives.
Our first step is getting ready. We begin by decorating the Christmas tree and the house on the day after Thanksgiving. I began decorating the tree years ago and that tradition continues even now. I had the help of my daughter, Kellie, this year. I found that at my age, decorating the top of the tree was not as easy as it has been.
My wife decorates the house. She has a way of making our home have the Christmas season atmosphere. Through the years we have saved many of the things she uses in decorating the house.
Part of getting ready is playing Christmas music. Annette does a lot of work in the kitchen. She plays Christmas music that helps both of us think about the real meaning of Christmas.
Annette likes to bake cakes for the Christmas season that we give to the neighbors and friends. In order to do this, she must spend a great deal of time in the kitchen baking these cakes. I have no idea how many cakes she bakes for this season of the year. We give them to neighbors, doctor’s office personnel, drug store employees, and many friends. This year, she baked eleven cakes for a friend to give to her piano students.
Another part of our Christmas season is giving to mission projects. Of course, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions is a high priority in our giving. In addition, our church asks for donations of food for various projects during this season of the year. We always try to help with these projects. Also, we always participate in a great ministry called “Operation Christmas Child.”
In addition, part of our annual Christmas celebration involves participating in church events. We have music presentations each year. Our church has two Christmas Eve services each year. The Christmas Eve service is a particularly important part of our celebration. We have multiple fellowship times during the Christmas season. What fun!
Perhaps the most important part of our Christmas celebration is family times. One of our great traditions is cookie-decorating with all the family participating in the decorating time. Annette and Kellie prepare the cookies in advance. The cookies are cut-outs of Christmas images—stars, trees, snowmen, etc. They bake about eight dozen cookies.
We provide all the decorating materials. When we start, everyone gets involved. I decorate and win the ugliest decorated cookie of the evening. Some of the grandkids are really serious about their decorating. The great-grandkids usually eat as much of the decorating material as they put on the cookies. We have a great time during this evening of decorating cookies.
Some of the family attend the Christmas Eve service with us. Often, we have something to eat after the service, and the family members often participate in a meal with us.
On Christmas Day, we all gather at our daughter’s house for Christmas lunch and the opening of Christmas presents. Before we open any presents, either Annette or I read the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. The children love to hear this story. It is a very meaningful time.
Celebrating Christmas is an especially valuable time in the Sheffield household. We always remember the reason for the celebration. It’s about the birth of Jesus. How great He is!
One Response
Nancy and I enjoyed reading about you and Annette’s activities and traditions at Christmas time. You both give a wonderful example to us and many others of how important it is to have family fun while remembering the true meaning of Christmas and to celebrate the birth of our Savior . Much love and appreciation for you both.