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From Father Brian D’Arcy, a Catholic Passionist priest:
For me Christmas is a warm glow at the heart of winter. This shortest, darkest day of the year would be dreary without the celebration of this special feast. Christmas is a time to pull out that great suitcase of precious memories and hug them to bits.

My childhood memories of Christmas are all happy and cosy. I remember my father cornering a hissing goose in the shed and then preparing the goose for our Christmas dinner. I can still see my mother lovingly squeeze the goose into a great pot; and the memory of the aroma which filled our little house, as the goose cooked over an open hearth fire, still lingers.   

In my mind I recall walking 2 miles to our church through the darkness of a frosty dawn. The men at that time wore solid boots with steel caps on the heels. As they walked along the dark and winding road to church, sparks flew from their heels and lightened our way like stars from the East. It was a sight to behold.

Christmas is about good friends, good memories, good food, peace and happiness. It’s being close to those who mean most to us.

Christmas is knowing that the God who lives in the highest heaven has changed his address and comes among us as a gurgling infant. Christmas introduces us to God the human baby.

This week try to make time to accept the plain fact that because of Christmas you now know that God is mad about you.

Every time a hand reaches out to help another – that’s Christmas.
Every time people forget their differences and love each other – that’s Christmas.
Every time someone puts bitterness aside – that’s Christmas.

Amid the preparations which are both exciting and exhausting take time to realise that if you don’t have Christmas in your heart, you’ll never find it under a tree.

Christmas, in short, is a time to be yourself, to be grateful for all you have, to feel special, and most of all to be happy.