Dear children, Christmas is a joyful time full of sweet smells, twinkling lights, good food, happy songs, presents and a touch of magic. Many of us look forward to it and can't wait for it to come each year. But do you know why people started celebrating Christmas to begin with?
For some people, it is a way of celebrating the fact that the days are beginning to get longer again, so there will be more sunshine and warmth after a long time in the dark and cold. Most of all, though, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus.
Do you know about Jesus? He’s not always a baby, he’s also the one we talk about being crucified – put to death on a cross – and rising from the dead. He’s the one you come across in churches and chapels, and sometimes on statues when you’re out and about. And some say we all carry him in our hearts. His birth was a very good thing and good things should not be forgotten. So today I’m going to tell you the story of how Jesus was born.
Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there lived two women. They were relatives. One was called Mary and the other Elizabeth, and something miraculous happened to both of them. Do you believe in miracles, children? Fortunately, Mary and Elizabeth did. Can you guess what it was? They both got pregnant. Perhaps that doesn’t sound very miraculous, but it was. Elizabeth, you see, was already quite old and she couldn’t have children. Then, one day, an angel came to her and told her that he would fulfil her greatest wish – and sure enough, she became pregnant. Elizabeth was completely beside…
