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Winter used to be something to fear—dark, cold, and scarce—yet people pushed back with fires, feasts, and hope. We pick up that thread and follow it to today, showing how Yule logs, Saturnalia, and Mithra’s festival gave way to a feast devoted to the Nativity, not because Jesus was born on December 25, but because the church chose to redeem a date and reframe a culture. Along the way we hit Puritan bans, the secret survival of celebration, and the moment Christmas came roaring back with the crown and a new moral imagination shaped by Charles Dickens.

We don’t stop at history. We tell the truth about our own Christmases: the thrill of a personalized bowling ball, the heartbreak of a house ransacked, the chaos and comfort of blended families, and the annual tug-of-war with commercialization. We debate Santa with humor and conviction—imagination vs honesty, wonder vs myth—and share how a deeper reading of blessed are the pure in heart changed our posture from suspicion to sanctification. The point isn’t a perfect origin story; it’s using this season to honor the King, strengthen families, and fill homes with peace.

Expect a soundtrack: Donny Hathaway, Nat King Cole, Jackson 5, and a nod to Mariah’s modern classic. Expect movie nights: Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, Trading Places, Gremlins, and the great Die Hard question. Expect encouragement to craft your own traditions, protect your joy, and say no to pressure. Whether you light a modest candle or cover the house in lights, keep the heart of Christmas clear—gratitude, generosity, and a kingdom perspective that turns winter into worship.

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