“Christmas – that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance – a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved” (Augusta E. Rundel).

If you asked me to name all the gifts I received last year, I’d probably get about half of them right. If you went further back — say five years– I probably wouldn’t have the first clue.

It’s not about the gifts. It’s about remembering and creating new memories.

It seems that on Christmas all the ones we’ve ever lost seem nearer, and their loss felt more keenly, than on any other day of the year. I even found myself missing my old cat Lucy more today than I have in a while.

It’s also remembering the Child born in the manger who grew up to be the Savior of the world. His life and death and resurrection mean that those we’ve lost don’t have to live on only in our memories. Those who have died in Jesus will be the first to be resurrected, and we will see them again.

Christmas and Easter mean that nothing good in this life is ever lost. True hope never dies and true faith never fails.

In 48 minutes, another Christmas will be in the books, but the meaning and spirit of the day will live on into 2018 and through all the days of all the years.