Christmas Is Family

I love this statement from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf—

In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time.

Spending time with family is what Christmas is all about. How can I forget my many Christmas Eves at Grandma Barton's house? Reenacting the Nativity. Singing Christmas carols. Enjoying scrumptious food and hot wassail. Opening gifts from grandma and cousins. Reminiscing on Christmases past. Playing board games with my brothers, father and uncles.

I thought Christmas was all about the lights. Now I've learned it's all about the Light of the World.

Those memories are as much a part of me as snow is part of a white Christmas.

But last year and next week I made and will make different Christmas memories in Tennessee. I'm far away from my family in Utah. But they are always in my heart.

Most years I spend Christmas with my Barton family. This year I'll spend Christmas with my ward family.

Most years I spend Christmas wondering what I'll get. This year I'll spend Christmas searching for opportunities to give.

Most years I spend Christmas thinking about the Savior. This year I'll spend Christmas living for the Savior.

When I return to Utah I'll regain and retain the wonderful traditions given me by my family. And I'll be able to add to those traditions something I couldn't have gained without serving a mission—my testimony; my appetite for service; my understanding that true happiness comes from following the Savior, not my own selfish interests.

These are traditions money cannot buy. I asked you, friends, what some of your family traditions are. Here are your responses—

• Salvador: Okay, you know I am Mexican so we have posadas, piñatas, we sing La Rama, etc.
• Charlie: On Christmas Eve we watch Doctor Who Christmas marathons, then we open one gift (which always happens to be pajamas), then we make cookies and watch more Doctor Who
• Chelsea: On Christmas Eve we go shopping and then we watch Joy to the World. On Christmas Day we spend time with family and friends. For Christmas dinner we have the missionaries over for Family Home Evening