Internationalmatt's Blog

Sharing Christmas with my international friends- A Simple Christmas can be very Meaningful

Sharing Christmas with my international friends has helped me to understand that a Simple Celebration can be very meaningful. Sometimes it is too easy to get caught up in all the activity and shopping and lose our focus on why we celebrate Christmas. We do not celebrate Christmas to spend more than our neighbors so we can one up them. Christmas is not a competition. It is a celebration. We do not celebrate Christmas to have the perfect recipe. The first Christmas they had simple food in a stable full of animals. There are many other ways we can get caught up and too  busy.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of a child, but not just any child. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of the Son of God. A time to celebrate the fact that god loved us so much that Jesus came into the world to show us God’s love. I have been reminded of this many times by celebrating Christmas with my international friends. For me the best way to celebrate Christmas is to spend time with others and show the love of God to them. That is why tomorrow I will spend some time with my Karen friends and then with my friends from Peru. A time to remember God’s love. I would like to share a few pictures with you that show simple yet profound Christmas celebrations.

My friend Roxi in Romania preparing food

My friends Cristi and Alexandra in their small apartment in Romania that was full of love

Cristi and Alendria had a friend come visit on Christmas day to share friendship

some of my young friends from Vietnam experiencing a Chirstmas program for the first time

reunion of old friends Brigitte from Belgium, Yoshio from Japan, Julia and Jochen from Germany at a Chirstmas program

Paula and Yen sharing time at a Christmas program

some of my friends seeing a Living Nativity for the first time

Carlos and Amelia at our Christmas program. It is Amelia's first Christmas in America

December 24, 2009 - Posted by internationalmatt | Belgium, Chinese friends, Christmas, Cross Cultural, Cultural Ambassdors, Cutural Celebrations, Experiences of international friends, German friends, Hispanic friends, Holidays, International Friendships, Internationals, Peruvian Friends, Romania, Vietnamese friends, winter