Nativity sets, Christmas trees, wreaths, lights and gifts all become a swirl this time of year. Each piece is a thread, weaved into the cloth of traditions.

Those traditions, in time, become expected fixtures that signal the coming of the holiday season.

In two days, Christians all across the globe will celebrate the birth of Christ.

To non-believers, the spiritual importance of the holiday is a mystery.

It’s just another day to them, just a day to be away from work or school.

It’s just another day to eat lots of food and have fun with the family.

And the baby Jesus is just another historical character. Perhaps in their minds, he’s just the cute little fellow forever transfixed in lifelike ceramic on their grandmother’s mantel.

For Christians, however, the day celebrates the watershed moment when God came to earth as flesh and blood.

He’s the stuff of legends. He’s the stuff of best sellers and He’s the reason — the real purpose — for all of the holiday swirl and rush.

Sometimes, it’s easy for us — even devout believers — to get caught up in the hype and forget the little baby at the center of it all is more than just a ceramic character, more than just a part of our holiday traditions.

As you celebrate Christmas with your family, remember the real reason for season.