In Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,” Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, the first of which is the Ghost of Christmas Past.

The purpose of this visit was to show Scrooge how he had changed for the worse over the years and to remind him of merry Christmases that he had celebrated previously in his life. If only Scrooge could remember what he used to be, maybe he could become the right kind of man in the present.

If there is one specific Christmas of which we need to be reminded as believers, it is the very first Christmas, the night that Jesus was born. When the angel announced the impending birth of Jesus to Joseph, he made it very clear what would be important about Christmas:

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

While many of our past Christmases may include wonderful memories of family and friends and even joyful fellowship and celebration, Christmas would not exist without Christ as our Savior. He is what we should celebrate and remember at Christmas time. And let us not just remember that He was born in a manger, but that He came to save us from our sins.

So, this Christmas, and every Christmas, may we celebrate the Savior and not just the season.