By the time you read this editorial, it will already be Christmas Eve and you will no doubt have begun spending time with family and friends, and possibly even opening gifts and enjoying massive feasts. We know that you will be very busy in the coming days, but we hope that you can take the time to look through the “Christmas Greetings” special section included in today’s edition.

In this unique section, local Christian ministers of all denominations and church sizes have shared their unique messages and stories about the meaning of Christmas. We were truly impressed by the variety of stories that they told — some focused on Jesus’s actual birth, while others dealt with the roles of other characters in the story, such as Mary, Joseph and the wise men. These men and women of God showed that the Christmas story has a meaning that can be felt in our lives no matter who we are, or where we come from.

These messages are truly well-written, and would make effective lessons for parents to share with their children tonight, before they lay down their heads and begin dreaming of those “dancing sugar-plums.”

During this wonderful time of celebration and happiness, we would like to wish all of our readers and their families a very merry Christmas.