DAY 5 | Carrying Christmas Forward | More Than a Holiday | When Christmas Becomes Personal

Throughout this past week, we have journeyed together in reflecting on what Christmas truly means. We moved beyond a seasonal celebration to understanding or remembering how it becomes personal, shaping the way we live.

One thing we know for sure, as Christians, is that Christmas was never meant to end on 25th December. It was meant to be continued beyond the season and expressed in how we live on a daily basis.

The point is: if Christmas truly becomes personal, it cannot remain seasonal. It becomes a way of living. 

However, there is the danger of not only forgetting the Christmas traditions, but forgetting the transformation Christmas introduced.

Luke 2 records a moment in history, but the book of Acts records a movement. 

What began in a manger continued through obedient lives. Jesus did not come simply to be remembered once a year; He came to reshape how people live every day. And that’s so important, because the Christian life is not just a one time encounter with Christ, but again all about our daily walk with Him.

John 1:12 (NKJV) tells us, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” Receiving Jesus was never the end—it was the beginning of a new identity.

Family, carrying Christmas forward means carrying the posture of Christ into ordinary life. 

Philippians 2:5 (NIV) instructs us, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” 

That mindset does not switch off when the decorations come down. It shows up in how we speak, how we forgive, how we respond under pressure, and how we love when it’s inconvenient.

Jesus made this clear when He said in Luke 9:23 (NIV), “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.” Daily. Not annually. Not seasonally. 

Christmas reminds us that God stepped into our world once, but following Jesus means we step into obedience every day.

Real life tests whether we will carry Christmas forward. It’s easy to be generous in December and guarded in January. Easy to speak peace during the holidays and return to impatience afterward. 

But Romans 12:1 (NIV) calls us to something deeper: “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Worship is not confined to a service or a season. It is lived.

If we look at it, the early believers understood this. Acts 2:42 (NIV) says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” 

Their devotion did not fade after the moment of encounter. It shaped community, priorities, and daily rhythms. Christmas became visible through how they lived together.

Family, carrying Christmas forward also means embodying hope in a world that quickly returns to heaviness. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14–16 (NIV), “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others.” That light is not seasonal décor. It is lived witness. When the world moves on, the light remains.

Also, there are times when carrying Christmas forward looks quiet. Faithfulness at work. Kindness when no one notices. Integrity when shortcuts are available. 

Galatians 6:9 (NIV) encourages us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

Essentially, the work of Christmas continues long after the songs stop playing.

And it is so good to remember that Jesus promised we would not carry this alone. Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) assures us, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The same presence introduced at Christmas remains with us now. Emmanuel did not leave when the season ended.

So how do we carry Christmas forward? We live aware that God is with us. We choose obedience over convenience. We reflect Christ in speech, action, and attitude. 

Colossians 3:17 (NIV) sums it up plainly: “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Christmas becomes personal when we receive Christ. It becomes purposeful when we live like Him. And it is carried forward when our lives continue to tell His story.

My brothers and sisters, if there is anything I encourage us to remember from this entire series, is that Christmas is not a moment we just celebrate during the season.

Christmas is a life we walk out—every day.