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By Sarah and Erickson Andrews

Christmas is a time for children ? a time of wonder, expectation, innocence and joy. The UMConnection asked Sarah and Erickson Andrews, who attend Davidsonville UMC, to share their reflections on the holy day. How would they describe Christmas to someone who had never heard of it, what gift might they offer Jesus and what do they like most about Christmas? They responded:

It?s hard to imagine people not understanding Christmas. If I met someone who had never heard of it, I would tell them, Christmas is really a birthday celebration. Not just any birthday, but the birthday of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born about 2,000 years ago and is special because he is the Son of God. Later he would die for our sins on the cross (that is when we celebrate another holiday called Easter). All of this wonderful story is written in the Bible.

So many people go out shopping for presents during this season. Christmas has become a time to share the hope, peace, love and joy that Jesus taught when he was alive. Many people do this by sharing gifts with one another to celebrate Jesus? love.

Other people celebrate Christmas because they are greedy and want gifts not because they believe in Jesus or God. I think that celebrating Christmas means to believe in Jesus and God.

Last night for my family?s Advent time we read 'The Candle in the Window' by Grace Johnson. In this story, on Christmas Eve, an angel convinced a shoemaker to put a candle in the window to 'welcome the Christ child in the door.'All afternoon he expected the Christ child to visit him. But only a sick woman, a street beggar and a homeless kid came into his store. For each of them he had exactly what they needed (a cr?che, clothes, boots, food, coat).

At the end of the story an angel asked him about his day and the shoemaker was upset because the Christ Child had not come to visit. It was then that the angel read from the Bible saying, 'Then shall the King (Jesus) say, ?Come, blessed ones, inherit the kingdom prepared for you! For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me....Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me! ?'

It was a wonderful story that explains how Jesus? love and caring can be shared by everyone.

Sometimes people wonder what they might give to Jesus to thank him for his love. What birthday gift would be best for him on Christmas morning?

Well, there is so much that I would want to give him, but I think that the best thing would have to be my life. I have gone to many Baltimore-Washington Methodist youth rallies like 'Alive' and 'ROCK' and they talk about many different topics, but the one that seems to stick in all of them is the element of giving your life to our Savior.

The speakers at these rallies told us that the sole thing God wants of us is to truly worship him and him alone (and bring along a friend if you can). If everyone could just do that, the world would be a true utopia, and not one like in your latest science-fiction book ? a true perfect paradise made in Heaven (literally). If Jesus were to be born today, I think that the one gift that I would give Him would be my life.

There are so many things that I like about Christmas, like getting out of school, seeing my family and having knock-down drag-out snowball fights.

Even though people say that it is better to give than to get, and it is so great to see peoples? faces when they open your gift, all the new clothes, little trinkets, toys and books are oh-so fun to use and play with for the first time. Just being at home and the smell of cookies baking and fire seems to top it off.

But above it all is the warm feeling of Christ, to know that our Savior was born and he will later die for us so that we may forever have eternal life in God?s kingdom gives me this warm feeling inside. To know that even when I feel really down and alone, he will always be there for me, no matter what. That he cares enough to die for me really blows me away. There are many things that I like about Christmas, but that warm feeling of Jesus? candle burning in my soul definitely takes first place.

Sarah and Erickson Andrews, brother and sister, are both members of Davidsonville UMC and are active in youth group.