A message from Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network:

I love Christmas. Some of my fondest memories are of the Christmas season, so this week I would like to get a bit personal and share with you some of the things that mean the most to me at this special time of year.

I love nativity sets, whether they are the large outside variety or the tiny ones we put in the house. They seem to be the one decoration that reminds the world of the real reason we celebrate this time of year.

I have a friend that has more than 1,200 nativity sets that he has collected from all over the world! They have a permanent home in our church lobby, where they occupy eight curios cabinets that line a long hallway. Each Sunday I look into a different cabinet and see how Christians in some country far away see the birth of Christ.

Christmas programs at church have always been wonderful... beginning with the "bathrobe" shepherds in the little Freewill Baptist Church I attended in a small town in Kentucky all the way to the elaborate production of Houston's First Baptist Church with live animals and 500 participants, nothing excites me more than to watch the body of Christ commemorate His birth with an interpretation of the nativity story. It always sends chills up my spine as the angels proclaim Christ's coming.

Christmas trees: It amazes me how many ways people can find to decorate a simple pine tree. There are whimsical ones with fun themes like pets or nutcrackers, homespun ones with ornaments collected from nature, traditional ones with glass ornaments, silver icicles and lots of lights, nostalgic ones with ornaments made by family members and collected over the years and very dressy ones that sparkle and glow with lots of gold and silver.

Family—it is always good to see family but there is something so special about being around a fireplace or the Christmas tree with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. It always leads to wonderful stories of family history (some of which we wish they wouldn't tell). Looking at family albums, singing carols, whatever your family does when it is together, it is even more special at Christmas.

Christmas food. I am not sure why but there are just some foods that you cook only at Christmas. They just don't taste the same any other time of the year. Maybe for you it is a special way you do the turkey or roast beef or a salad that never seems to show up except on December 25. Whatever it is, I am guessing that there is a food that always reminds you of Christmas—or when you think of Christmas there is a food item that always comes to mind.

These things are all great, but there is a moment—it usually takes less than five minute—that really makes Christmas, well, Christmas, for me. It is when someone in the family picks up the family Bible and reads "the story."

Beginning in Luke 2, we hear how God began His redemption of a lost and dying world, His redemption of a lost and dying Geni who would not be born for more than 2, 000 years.

And that is my favorite part of Christmas—that God so loved the world He gave His One and Only Son. What a joy to be able to celebrate this amazing truth and be part of proclaiming it throughout the year in our church stores.

Have a blessed Christmas season.