It’s Christmas morning!

I’m currently sweltering in the North Queensland heat and humidity, listening to the screaming and fighting amongst my kids, longing for air conditioning, silence and a cold drink.

It’s easy for the meaning of Christmas, a celebration of selfless giving, to become about what we get for ourselves, or about using Christmas as a marketing opportunity.

The antidote is gratitude.

It’s more than just saying thanks for the presents we receive. It’s being thankful for family to give presents to, for the masses of food that we tend to consume, for living in a country that is abundant in resources, is not at war, and that still values Christian traditions. It’s being thankful for a benevolent God that showed his extreme love for us by sending his son as the ultimate Christmas present.

Yes, it’s even being thankful for noise and heat and sweat.

2014 has been a difficult year. But as much as there has been many tragedies, griefs and sorrows, there are still many things we can be grateful for.

I hope that this Yuletide season, you experience the true joy of Christmas through gratitude, and that you have a safe and prosperous new year in 2015.