In Depth:  Christmas

James Burnett

My best Christmas Day celebration was a present-less gathering in Malawi.

The worship was full of percussion, al fresco, around a log fire, and everyone shared in the gift of Jesus.

Dave Burke

A friend of mine is the youngest chaplain in the British Army, so they have sent him to train with the Parachute Regiment because he’s young and fit enough to keep up with them.

The unit he supports call themselves "the tip of the spear" because if there is conflict, they will be going in first.

Tim Farron

There is a spine-tingling line in the Christmas hymn, O Holy Night: “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices!”

A weary world

Our world is unmistakably weary. More than three-quarters of Brits say the UK is headed in the wrong direction. For the first time, the UK has dropped out of the top 20 happiest countries in the World Happiness Report.

Lydia Houghton

Did you know that one of London's most famous Christmas landmarks is rooted in a deeply Christian story of sacrifice, peace, and reconciliation?

I'm talking about the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree. Each December, the Norwegian Pine stands, at an impressive 65 feet tall, in the heart of London . Its lighting ceremony takes place on the first Thursday of December, featuring carols and performances, and the tree continues to grace the UK's capital city until early January. Many people know that the tree comes from Norway, but few pause to ask why.

James Cary

I’m a professional writer (believe it or not) but was one of the few in my school year who did not choose English to study at A-Level.

Back then, reading fiction felt like hard work to me. For my GCSE, I had to read Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. It’s a classic. But it’s long, sad and contains an awful lot of dense and wistful description of the Dorset and Somerset countryside. I now live on the border of Somerset and Dorset – in the heart of Hardy’s Wessex. I love Wessex. It’s where I live. I enjoy seeing the hedgerows, oak trees and starling formations. I am still not hungry for lengthy verbal descriptions of all of the above.

Mitch Chase

The Gospel writers boldly associate Jesus’ birth with David’s name. And they do this in order for us to learn about Jesus’ birth as a fulfilment of ancient promises.

In 2 Samuel 7v12–13, God had promised David that a future son—the seed or offspring of David—would rule forever on the throne.

Tim Chester

Nunc Dimittis, in the New Testament is "a brief hymn of praise sung by the aged Simeon, who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah."

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

Pod Bhogal

Christmas has a way of unlocking old memories.

My first real exposure to the Christmas story didn’t come through church or Christmas carols.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Christmas is coming, and it’s looming fast! It’s also a time when those with disabilities and additional needs struggle with accessibility.

We love everything glittery, and twinkly. We cram everyone into whatever space we have. The noise is much greater. And we insist on colour combinations and fonts that should never get past the editing stage of our Christmas invites, slides on screens and our social media.

Emily Lucas

Now that advent has dawned, the time of year has come to warrant talk of Christmas. Favourite traditions, favourite films all evoking memories of Christmas past.

2013 was probably my most memorable Christmas Day as my first child was born during the early hours. However a close second was December 2009 and singing 'O Come all ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant' as the opening hymn to mine and my husband’s Christmas wedding.

bridging cultural divides

Jason Roach

Every year, as Christmas approaches, I find myself navigating the festive family diplomacy of our intercultural marriage. It's a delicate dance that starts with a seemingly simple question: 'So, where are we spending Christmas Day?'

My wife pulls out her diary. 'Right,' she says, 'let's work out the logistics.' For her family, it's straightforward - maximise the number of people, find the most convenient time, get everyone together. My family, though? Completely different story.

Ryan Burton King

Christmas. 'It's the most wonderful time of the year,' Andy Williams croons. Or, as a cast of characters from Jim Henson's Creature Shop sang in The Muppet Christmas Carol, it is 'the summer of the soul in December'.

But for others, it is a season of woe, an opportunity to blow a cold frost wind over the festivities with assorted dubious claims, doubtless well-intentioned but badly thought through and poorly communicated.

PfE women

Anne Cockram

How will you use the opportunity this Christmas to tell others about Jesus?

In all the busyness and excitement of the season, as Christians we have good news to share, and many ways in which we can engage with those around us to bring them the life changing gospel.