Hello dear friend! Well as you know, it's time for my birthday again. Last year, they had a really big party for me and it seems like they will again this year. After all they have been shopping and preparing for it for months now, and there have been announcements and advertisements almost every day about how soon it's coming! They really do go overboard about it, but it's nice to know that at least one day of the year some people are thinking about me a little. You know, it's been many years now since they first started celebrating my birthday. Back then they seemed to realize and appreciate how much fun it is for the little children. Just the same, it seems that most folks are missing the point of it all. Like last year, for example, when my birthday came around, they threw a big party, but can you believe it? I wasn't even invited! Imagine! The guest of honor, and they forgot all about me. Here they had begun preparing for the festivities months in advance, but when the big day came, I was left out in the cold! Well, it happened so many times in recent years, I wasn't even surprised. Even though I wasn't even invited, I thought I'd just quietly slip in anyway. So I came in and stood off to the side. Everyone was drinking, laughing, and having a great time when all of a sudden came this fat fellow in a bright red suit, wearing a phony white beard shouting, "Ho ho ho!". He looked like he had more than enough to drink. When he collapsed into a big armchair, all of the children went running over to him excitedly yelling, "Santa! Santa!". I mean, you'd have thought he was the guest of honor and the whole holiday was just for him. Then he began telling them the most ridiculous story you ever heard! That he lives at the north pole with a crew of dwarfs and that every year on my birthday he rides in his sleigh pulled by a bunch of flying reindeer, delivering presents to children all over the world! I mean there wasn't a word of truth in anything that he said imagine telling such poor, little, impressionable kids such far fetched fables! Finally I just had to leave. I walked out the door. It was no surprise that no one even noticed that I had gone. As I walked down the street afterward, I felt about as lonely and forlorn as a stray dog. I could not remember the last time I felt that low. Maybe you don't think I cry? The little manger scene you put in the corner of your living room is really touching! It's good that people commemorate my birthday like that. Did you know that nowadays, in some countries, the authorities won't even allow manger scenes placed in parks, streets, or public places anymore? Not to mention their schools! I'm not talking about Communist countries! I'm talking about the good, old USA. Imagine! What could be more innocent than a manger scene to remind people of my birthday? Yet it's banned! They've passed laws against it to make it illegal. What is this world coming to? Another thing that amazes me is how, on my birthday, instead of giving me presents, most people give gifts to each other! And to top it off, it's usually the kind of stuff you don't even need! Let me ask you, wouldn't you find it odd if when your birthday came along, all your friends decided to celebrate by giving gifts to each and not giving you a thing? Someone once told me, "Well, it's because your not around like most people are, so how can we give you a present?" You know my answer to that one: "Then give gifts of food and clothing to the poor, give help to those who need it. Go visit the lonely! Any gift you give a needy fellow man, I'll count it as if you gave it to me personally." (See Matthew 25:34-40) Well, sad to say, things are getting worse every year. You can just imagine my shock a few years ago when I began seeing them taking the title out of my birthday greeting and replacing it with an 'X'? What an insult! Think of it! Xmas!... What if I wrote you a birthday card and said Happy Birthday X! You'd probably never talk to me again! That is just about how I feel. What more could they do to push me out of the picture on my own birthday? It reminds me of what happened to a friend of mine recently, a sweet, elderly fellow. He is from the poorer side of town, and he's been trying unsuccessfully for years to join the church. It was a very exclusive church for the proper kind of folks, and they just did not think he was good enough to be a member. I found him one time sitting by the church steps with his head on his hands bowed. I asked him what was wrong. He told me about it. I put my arm around his shoulder and told him I knew just how he felt. I've been wanting to enter that same church for 20 years and they've never let me in either. Well, there is an end to even my patience. So I'm going to let you in on a secret. Now this is something I have been planning on doing for quite sometime. I'll have my own party! How about that? It's going to be the most fantastic feast you could possibly imagine! It might not happen this year, but I'm sending out the invitations now. I know you'll want to come. There is going to be room for billions, for everyone who wants to come! Some really famous old timers and celebrities are gonna be there and I'll reserve you a seat of honor right with them (see Matthew 8:11). So hold on to your hat because when everything is ready, I'm going to spring it as a big surprise! Many people are going to be left out in the cold because they didn't answer my invitation. Let me know right away if you'd like to come. I'll reserve a place for you and write your name in large golden letters in my great big Guest Book! Much love, Jesus PLEASE DON'T FORGET THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS!