A highlight of our Christmas celebrations at Grace is our annual Christmas program. We enjoy special arrangements of reverent music, a Christmas drama, and a brief message from God's Word. And of course, everyone loves the cookies and coffee afterwards!

We enjoyed singing several carols together and listening to a violin solo, children's choir, and vocal ensembles.

This year, our play imagined O. Henry crafting his famous story, “The Gift of the Magi.” Through the eyes of a middle school teacher, we observed the writing process of O. Henry's story about a young couple facing Christmas with no funds to buy each other gifts. He directed the characters' actions as he wrote to solve this dilemma. The words of the narration (with minor changes) were taken directly from the original 1905 text, quirky asides included. Each sentence was intentional in directing our attention to the author's theme.

This simple story and its clear message have been beloved for decades. What is Christmas about? What makes a wise giver? Together, we pondered the joy of sacrificial giving and what our human gifts ultimately point to: a divine love that is far greater.