THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

I needed to pop into town to post off a couple of long-distance letters and parcels today, so decided that I would go via the toy shop in town called "The Entertainer", where a large Nativity scene is in one of the windows - and I must admit I haven't seen any others in the town centre.

You might be interested to read the following facts : 

The store in Swindon, which is one of 144 stores,  is the largest independent toy retailer in the UK and was founded by husband and wife, Catherine and Gary Grant in 1981.  Gary describes himself as a “charismatic evangelical Christian” and unusually for retailers in the UK, does not open any of the retail stores on a Sunday.  The stores do not sell products deemed to have a connection with the occult and neither do they sell toy machine guns.  There is a charitable wing named The Grant Foundation and in line with biblical practice, The Entertainer tithes (gives one tenth) its profits giving to several children’s charities and supports street children in Guatemala.

In 2011, The Entertainer switched on “Pennies, the electronic charity box” in all of its stores, allowing customers to “round up” their purchases and donate the change to charity.  It was the first High Street shop to do this, joining Domino’s Pizza, Zizzi Restaurants and Travelodge and since its inception, Pennies’ donations have totalled over £1.7 million.

How refreshing to learn that this retailer is “bucking the trend” and believes not only in giving to various charities, but also in giving its staff time with their families, particularly on a Sunday.

You may not be a believer, and I respect that, but nevertheless, it does not take away from the fact that the real meaning of Christmas is about Christ and His birth - and of course, there is a clue in the name of the season!

When I got to the store, it was pouring with rain, but fortunately, that part of the shopping centre is partly covered, so I didn’t get too wet.  However, there was a man standing outside right in the middle of the window display, so I politely asked if he would mind moving because I wanted to take a photograph of the Nativity, which he did.  Blip photo done, I then finished my business in town and decided I would ring Mr. HCB to come and pick me up, because by this time I was quite wet.  

We are now back home  - and I am even more grateful today that we have a warm and dry home and that we don’t have to go out again this evening.  Christmas for me wouldn’t be complete without watching this wonderful rendition of “The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy” - every time I watch it, tears of laughter run down my face.  Apparently, Ellie Sergeant, who was 4 years old at the time, is now 26 years old and said she blames her mother for the whole disaster of the Nativity play, because she sat at the back and asked Ellie to “sing as loudly as possible”.  Enjoy it with me and if you don’t laugh, then I will be very surprised.  Ellie or Eleanor as she is now known, qualified as a lawyer, so I wonder how she feels about it now?

“The best way to spread
     Christmas cheer is
          singing loud
               for all to hear.”
Buddy, the Elf

P.S.  Today would have been Mr. HCB's mother's 105th birthday - I know that she would have loved this video because she loved coming to see our two boys in their Nativity plays.