24 Days of Christmas - Day 15

Carol: Far, Far Away on Judea's Plain, Hymn #212

Scripture: 1 Nephi 11:20-24 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. The angel said unto me: behold the Lamb of God, yea even the Son of the Eternal Father! And I looked and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at His feet and worship Him.

Talk: Excerpt from The Gifts of Christmas by Howard W. Hunter

Never did the Savior give in expectation of receiving. He gave freely and lovingly, and His gifts were of inestimable value. He gave eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm, and breath to the lifeless. His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing, and light in the darkness. He gave us His love, His service, and His life. And most important, He gave us and all mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life.

We should strive to give as He gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift. We give as a remembrance of all the Savior has given.

Christmas is a time for giving. Someone once said he couldn’t think of what to give for Christmas. The next day in the mail he received an anonymous list which read:

Give to your enemy forgiveness,
To your opponent tolerance,
To your friend your heart,
To all men charity, for the hands that help
are holier than lips that pray,
To every child a good example,
and to yourself—respect.

All of us need to follow the example of the Savior in giving these kinds of gifts. From Christina Rossetti we read:

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would give Him a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man,
I would do my part,—
But what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Christmas is a celebration, and there is no celebration that compares with the realization of its true meaning—with the sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself unselfishly in the things that matter most.

Recipe: Gingerbread Men

I've never really found a gingerbread man recipe that I liked until this year. This recipe is from a woman in my ward, and it's wonderful. The cookies are really easy to make, and I love the butterscotch pudding in here. The cookies come out very sweet and delicious and just the right amount of crunchy. Lovely! Katelee and I had a great time making these, and I was surprised at how quickly they went. Try them!

3/4 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

1, 4 oz. package of instant Jell-O butterscotch pudding

1 egg

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 T. ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter, brown sugar, pudding mix, and egg together. (Don't make the pudding, just pour the powder in.) Then gradually add the rest of the ingredients. Roll out on a clean countertop (no flour needed! That's my favorite part!) and cut into gingerbread men shapes or whatever shapes you want. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes. (I even took some of my batches out at 9 minutes.) Cool. Frost, if desired, or serve plain. Delicious!