2. Going Home for the Holidays

3. That one present that you really wanted

5. Mary, the mother of Jesus

9. Charlie: Rats! (sad). Nobody sent me a Christmas card today. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday season to emphasize it?

10. Lucy: Boy, I love the beautiful sound of cold, hard, cash, that beautiful, beautiful sound. Nickels, nickels, nickels. That beautiful sound of plunking nickels. Now what seems to be your trouble? Charlie: I know I should be happy during Christmas, but I can’t seem to manage it.

11. Lucy: Incidentally, I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys, or a bicycle, or clothes, or something like that. Charlie: What is it you want? Lucy: Real Estate.

12. Charlie: What’s going on here?

13. FIND THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS. WIN MONEY, MONEY, MONEY! SPECTACULAR! SUPER- COLOSSAL! NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND DISPLAY CONTEST. Charlie Brown: Even my own dog has gone commercial…

14. “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

16. What’s NOT the main thing…

17. 1.Commercialism

19. What’s NOT the main thing… 1.Commercialism 2.“The Perfect Christmas”

21. What’s NOT the main thing… 1.Commercialism 2.“The Perfect Christmas” 3.Gift Receiving

22. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE

23. 6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires. 7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement. 8. If I hadn’t recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit. 9. Well, well, well …

24. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires. 7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement. 8. If I hadn’t recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit. 9. Well, well, well …

25. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires. 7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement. 8. If I hadn’t recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit. 9. Well, well, well …

26. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires. 7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement. 8. If I hadn’t recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit. 9. Well, well, well …

27. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires. 7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement. 8. If I hadn’t recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit. 9. Well, well, well …

28. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 1. “I really don't deserve this.” 2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity. 3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. 4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire. 5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

29. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 1. “I really don't deserve this.” 2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity. 3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. 4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire. 5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

30. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 1. “I really don't deserve this.” 2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity. 3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. 4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire. 5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

31. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 1. “I really don't deserve this.” 2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity. 3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. 4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire. 5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

32. TOP TEN THINGS TO SAY ABOUT A CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU DON'T LIKE 1. “I really don't deserve this.” 2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity. 3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. 4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire. 5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

33. What’s NOT the main thing… 1.Commercialism 2.“The Perfect Christmas” 3.Gift Receiving 4.Gift Giving

35. What’s NOT the main thing… 1.Commercialism 2.“The Perfect Christmas” 3.Gift Receiving 4.Gift Giving 5.Making other people happy

37. What’s NOT the main thing… 1.Commercialism 2.“The Perfect Christmas” 3.Gift Receiving 4.Gift Giving 5.Making other people happy 6.Getting to do whatever you want to do

39. What’s NOT the main thing… 1.Commercialism 2.“The Perfect Christmas” 3.Gift Receiving 4.Gift Giving 5.Making other people happy 6.Getting to do whatever you want to do 7.Snow

41. What is the Main Thing?

42. John 1:1-14 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

43. What is the Main Thing? John 1:1-14 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

44. What is the Main Thing? John 1:1-14 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

45. What is the Main Thing? John 1:1-14 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

46. What is the Main Thing? 1. Main Thing = Word became flesh John 1:1-14 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

47. What is the Main Thing? 2. John (and you and I) are not that light! John 1:1-14 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

48. What is the Main Thing? 3. Do you receive him? John 1:1-14 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

49. What is the Main Thing? 4. The Word ‘moved into the neighborhood’! John 1:1-14 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

53. Linus explaining true meaning of Christmas video – found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeVDOu2_Fuc

54. Gospel Application

55. Like Charlie Brown, are you struggling today with the real meaning of Christmas?

56. Gospel Application Like Charlie Brown, are you struggling today with the real meaning of Christmas? Are you FIGHTING to keep the main thing the main thing?