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Young People Write About the True ‘Spirit of Christmas’

In this issue of The Messenger, we salute the winners of our “Spirit of Christmas” contest.

More than 1,000 entries came from young people across the diocese who shared how they find the spirit of Christmas in their daily lives.

The Messenger applauds the parents and families of these young Catholics as they pass on their faith from one generation to the next.

Students could write no fewer than 25 words nor more than 100 words about the topic. Winners in each category were given a $25.00 gift card. Due to space restrictions, only the winners of each category are reproduced here.

Category: 1st-3rd Grade
James Ramette, grade 2 from Immaculate Conception School, Columbia, Holy Family Parish, Cahokia: “The spirit of Christmas is giving joy, kindness to people. And the spirit of Christmas is helping the poor and Jesus birthday and helping people in need. It’s caring for people who are very, very sick! Giving joy, kindness, volunteer to help people that are poor and spreading good news to others is how you find the spirit of Christmas!”

Honorable mentions:
Andrew Kim, grade 2 from Mt. Vernon Primary School, St. Mary Church, Mt. Vernon: “Christmas is about Baby Jesus when he was born. The reason why he comes to our world is that he wanted to help poor people and animals. Jesus loves us very much and told us to love your family and neighbor like yourself. When I give my food to poor families, I share my love. When I share my love with friends, families and poor neighbors, I feel baby Jesus comes to me and he is in my heart. I am very happy when he comes into my heart. I pray that Jesus comes into everybody’s heart.”

Nicole Hampton, grade 3 from Our Lady Queen of Peace School and parish, Belleville: “I believe Christmas Spirit is in your heart. I also think Christmas Spirit is nice, kind and not selfish or mean. I bet you also can find it when you are nice, kind and happy. Christmas Spirit is not about getting toys. It’s about Jesus’ birth. Jesus is God. He preached about His Father, helped others, and died on the cross for us. That is what I think Christmas Spirit is.”

Phillip Reeves, grade 3 from St. Felicitas, Beaver Prairie: “Many children think Christmas is about getting gifts. I think Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. The spirit of Christmas is about giving not receiving. It is also about being kind and helping others that are less fortunate. You can find the Christmas spirit in your heart. You can also find it by going to church.”
Ben Hogan, grade 2 from Waterloo: “The spirit of Christmas is to sing and help your neighbors. My family goes to church and prays to God for peace. We help the poor and needy so they know that God is working through other people to show his love and peace for all.”

Katie Grawitch, grade 2 from Immaculate Conception School, Columbia: “The spirit of Christmas is joy, kindness, faith and goodness. I find it by helping others like the poor, hungry and thirsty. I volunteer in fundraisers for Jesus’s birthday. I find it by reading God’s word. Your heart and soul warms up with God’s word. I love Christmas!”

Category: 4th-6th Grade
Lucas Brooks, grade 4 from Sparta Primary School, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sparta: “We find God by doing his work through acts of kindness. One year we gave gifts to a needy family, they did not have much. We wrapped presents all night and delivered them secretly. We were very happy to help them. The spirit of Christmas can last all year long with the kindness we show others.”

Honorable mentions:
Taryn Harsy, grade 5 from St. Bruno School, Pinckneyville: “The spirit of Christmas is to give. During Christmas we are supposed to celebrate Jesus’ birth. We prepare for Christmas through Advent. The true spirit of Christmas comes from one’s heart. We are supposed to give to others in need, like hungry or those who need shelter. We can also find the spirit of Christmas through our joy. As long as someone can express joy on Christmas, everyone is happy. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!”

Carlee Wise, grade 4 from All Saints Academy, St. Dominic Parish, Breese: “The true meaning of the spirit of Christmas is giving and not receiving, like when you give to your church, food pantries or clothes to the poor. Where can you find the spirit of Christmas? It is in your heart and all around you, especially with your family. Most people say Christmas is their favorite holiday because of the presents, but I like Christmas because of the love that surrounds me.”

Eric Toftemark, grade 4 from St. Clare School, O’Fallon: “I think Jesus is the spirit of Christmas, because Jesus was born on Christmas. You can find the spirit of Christmas at your home, school or church. You can find out he is the light of the world, he is the savor, the only son of God, and he can do medicals (miracles). The simble (symbol) of Christ is light. You can learn about Christ in bible school.”

Category: 7th-9th Grade
Hannah Albers, grade 9 from Mater Dei Catholic High School, Breese, St. Boniface Parish, Germantown: “Smiling eyes twinkle with laughter in this merry time of year. Merry tunes drift up to the rafter As we spread happy, blissful cheer. Christmas is showing love to those without, Spreading hope to those in doubt.Christmas is giving gifts like love And grace from above. Christmas is making someone smile, Even just for a while. Love gives us a start To put hope in each heart.”

Honorable mentions:
Sarah Bertelsman, grade 9 from Althoff Catholic High School, St. Teresa Parish, Belleville: “Hustle and bustle, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but is that what Christmas is about? Should Christmas be found, in materialistic goods and greediness for what we desire? The true meaning comes from the joy of others. Whether it may be the cherubic faces of children, or the worn-down face of grateful mothers in need, when I hear stories about their revival of hope, I just feel my own sense of hope for them. We should be remembering the impoverished during this desperate time, whether saying a quick prayer or giving a small donation, it all matters.”

Madeline Moylan, grade 9 from Mater Dei Catholic High School, St. Dominic Parish, Breese: “The spirit of Christmas is found not only in the giving of gifts, but also in the bond we have with Jesus Christ. His birthdate should be a time of celebration and peace. I find this great joy within my own parish at midnight Mass. When I enter the church, it is adorned in bright lights and a life-size manger scene. As the choir walks down the aisle, time freezes. Their voices fill the room with a rich tone bringing me back to that very first Christmas, when the little Lord Jesus lay asleep on the hay.”

Lucas Harper, grade 8, St. Agatha School, New Athens: Today the whole picture of Christmas is that on Christmas morning there are many presents under the tree. All that some people want is the gifts. Christmas, though, is not about getting, it is about giving. We give ourselves to others, but most importantly it is about when God gave his son to us. I think that when you give and make people happy you are living the Spirit of Christmas, just as God did on the first Christmas when he gave his son to us.”

Ben Sippel, grade 7 from Immaculate Conception School, Columbia: “I believe that the spirit of Christmas is hidden inside every person. We find the spirit of Christmas by helping the people in need. It is a belief of every child that Christmas is all about presents. This is not true. Christmas is a time of loving, caring and sharing. Christmas is a time of helping in the name of Jesus. Christmas in not an I-am-going-to-get-everything-I-want kind of day. It is a day to let loose your true Christmas spirit.”

Category: 10th-12th Grade
Mallory Winkeler, grade 10 from Mater Dei Catholic High School, Breese, St. Bernard Parish, Albers: “Three Wise Men followed a great star to Bethlehem. There a Messiah was to be born. The Wise Men followed the star for many days to find this baby boy.They knew his awful fate. They know why this boy had come, and wanted to honor him for his great bravery. This was where the Christmas Spirit first came to life, but this was a very long time ago. Now, some think the Spirit can be found wrapped in a box or underneath a tree. But thetrue Spirit onlypresents itself when you truly understand what Christmas is all about. It brings joy and happiness, not in the form of a box wrapped in ribbons, but it stirs inside you making Christmas more real than ever.”

Honorable mentions:
Kyle Kohnen, grade 10 from Mater Dei Catholic School, Breese, St. Boniface Parish, Germantown: “Well, I like to think it reminds me of an 8100 John Deere tractor. You are probably asking how. Well it’s simple, the cab is like your family, it protects you from everything thrown at you. The engine is like your mother always keeping everything moving efficiently. The power of the John Deere tractor is like the spirit of the holiday, the spirit is so great it is hard to stop it. This is why I compare a John Deere 8100 tractor to the spirit of Christmas.”

Matt Woesthaus, grade 10 from Althoff Catholic High School, Belleville: “The spirit of Christmas is found in love. Love is the essence of Christ’s message and as Christians, we are called to love our neighbor. It may be difficult to love without first receiving love, but we are called to be a catalyst of love that will spread Jesus’ affection to our neighbors, despite their political or religious leanings, despite their race or nationality, or even if they have lost their way and are struggling to find the road back. A human extension of love is the meaning and the purpose of true, non-materialistic Christmas.”

Colin McNamara, grade 11, from Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, home schooled: “The first Christmas was both the first and the greatest example of the spirit of Christmas. Our Lord Jesus Christ first demonstrated it by coming to earth and becoming man, out of love for us. Therefore the spirit of Christmas is not in getting, but in giving of ourselves through love for another. Many mistakably assume that the happiness they feel around Christmas is derived from all the gifts they receive, but it is more accurately described as the general joy one feels when one gives through love.”

Jack Weilmuenster, grade 10, Althoff Catholic High School, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Belleville: “Although popular opinion says otherwise, Christmas is all about giving and showing each other you care. The phantom ‘Spirit of Christmas’ is whatever we make it. It is up to us to make Christmas a time of love and happiness. The true spirit of Christmas resides in each and every one of us. God leaves it up to us to not only access our spirit but to spread it everywhere. In the end Jesus is the guiding force behind Christmas and it is our duty to honor this wonderful time with joyfulness and love.”