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Listen while you read: "Away In A Manger"1
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In 1991, my husband, our three boys, and I were living in the city of Bratislava in post-communist Czechoslovakia. We were working in the new Christian school that we had helped to start. During the school's Christmas break, we looked forward to spending the holidays with my aunt and her family, who lived five hours away by bus.
All of us were excited at the possibility of a white Christmas, as my aunt's town was at the edge of a forested area, more reminiscent of our home back in Canada than of the city in which we were living. After a few months of new experiences and different ways of doing things, I was hopeful for a Christmas "just like the ones I used to know".
After a long day of travel, the reality was different. We were exhausted, and a dismal rain fell. The smell of the coal furnaces of that era hung in the air. The five of us squeezed into one room, with a tiny, damp bathroom across the hall. I couldn't even relax in the tub downstairs; a big carp swam there until it was needed for Christmas dinner. I hadn't had a chance to buy Christmas presents, and possibilities in the small town were limited.
The next morning, I prayed in desperation, "Help me, Lord. I feel so out of place here."
God's answer was swift. "Don't look at circumstances. You can be happy wherever you are. Nothing is the same as you're used to, anyway. Get the focus off yourself, and give of yourself to make others happy." I hadn't thought beyond my own feelings, but my holiday changed from that moment of revelation.
My aunt asked me to decorate. The doors looked festive with simple evergreen boughs, gold-sprayed apples on a ribbon, and real mistletoe. I washed dishes, and Terry mounted cup-hooks in my aunt's tiny kitchen. I managed to buy a few small gifts for the boys and their cousins.
As our foreign Christmas unfolded, we enjoyed the novelty of doing things in a different way. On Christmas Eve, the unveiling of the Christmas tree, the opening of presents, and the special carp dinner took place. One highlight was familiar — a walk up a small hill in the woods. The boys were ecstatic that snow had fallen after all, as they happily frolicked in it.
1 Corinthians 10:24 – Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. (NLT)
I realized that the real Christmas isn't the presents, the atmosphere, or even the snow in the woods. The real Christmas is giving, just as God gave His only Son to be our Saviour.
These days, as our children have grown up, and circumstances vary from year to year, Christmas seems even less like the ones of my childhood. As I intentionally focus on serving others, however, instead of trying to capture the atmosphere, I'm living out the real meaning of Christmas. I invite you to do the same.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for showing us that the real meaning of Christmas is giving of ourselves for others. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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About the author:
Alice Burnett <terrencera.burnett@gmail.com>
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
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Beautiful story, Alice. Merry Christmas.
Love this! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us today. To God be the glory! Blessings.
Thanks Alice, may you and your family enjoy this Christmas season and have a very Merry Christmas. Blessings.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks for sharing.
(Manitoba)
Thank you, Alice, for a wonderful reminder of what Christmas is really about. God bless you and your family, wishing you lots of hope, peace, joy and love in 2025!
Thank you for your message, Alice.
Wishing you and all your family God’s Blessings and a Very Happy Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Alice!!
I always enjoy your well-written, sensible, and down-to-earth devotionals – thank you!
May the Peace of Christ be with you.
Dear Alice,
Your point of view of helping others instead of thinking only about yourself rings true.
Thank you for reminding me of this.
(Ontario, Canada)
Alice
Merry Christmas morn.
I am thinking your aunt also gave, sharing what she had, topped with anticipation and love at seeing her large Canadian family.
Thank you for writing this devotional.
Made me think. How do I give myself.
Thank you.
Blessings every day.
Christmas greetings to you and your family, Alice. What a wonderful devotional this morning and such a good reminder of where the focus should be. I’m not sure about carp for Christmas dinner but I am glad to see snow looking out our front window!
Many blessings on your day.
Hello Alice and Terry,
Having just read your message in the PresbyCan Daily (very thoughtful, and many of us can relate).
I hope you have a blessed Christmas, and May 2025 be a good year for you and your family.
Dear Alice,
This is a very important message to everyone. Thank you for always being willing to share openly about your experiences over the many years. I definitely benefit from seeing things from different perspectives which help me to be a kinder, gentler more loving person. Best wishes for you and your family as you continue to give. Blessings.
Thank you, Alice, for another of your special devotionals. Yes, it is so easy for us to get dismayed when happenings aren’t what we expect them to be.
However if we take time to reflect on what we can do to improve the situation and reach out to others, things get better not only for us but also brightens things for them. May you and Terry enjoy a bright Christmas day. Blessings.
Lovely real-life story! Thanks for sharing this very different Christmas to 2024 “with all the trimmings” plus electronics!
Coincidentally, last night, my husband collapsed with overwhelming “tummy troubles”… looks like the “feast” will be water and dry bread!
Thanks for your faithful writing for the devotional, look forward to more in 2025!
(BC)
Thanks Alice
I just returned from El Salvador where our church built 35 new homes (that we would call sheds) for impoverished Salvadorians.
Comparatively, we have SO much that its heartbreaking …. a comfort level they will never experience, for which we need to be eternally grateful to God!
Merry Christmas,
(BC)
For 20 years we celebrated Christmas in Brazil – churrasco not turkey, but a Christmas program prepared for and with children – Feliz Natal e Bom Ano Novo.
Thank you, Alice. I love the stories you tell from your family’s earlier life in foreign lands. This one is a good lesson for all of us.