He gave us himself

Sigrid Undset, Nobel laureate
I found in the writing of Sigrid Unset, the Nobel laureate of Norway, the best description of Christmas.

We often utter phrases about the holiday to make us appear smarter than we really are. We believe if it sounds smart, then other humans think they will be perceived as intelligent.

When we give each other Christmas gifts in his name, let us remember that he has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans and all that lives and moves upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused and to save us from our own foolishness, from all our sins, he came down to earth and gave us himself.

~Sigrid Unset

Every year I try to fathom the meaning of Christmas. I look forward to spending time with Nancy, my wife, the woman who understands me better than any person alive, my son, the other person who understands me better than any person alive, and our grandson.