This holiday season looks a little different for us than it normally would. This year we might be spending Christ’s birthday celebration in the hospital. As we enjoy the holiday festivities this season, we are also eagerly anticipating the birth of our twins.

Looking at our fireplace and seeing six stockings instead of four, I know that this Christmas is going to be the best one we’ve ever had. In some ways Tiffany’s pregnancy has seemed like a really long journey but it also seems to have gone by really fast—we simply cannot wait for our new son and daughter to arrive! Our two older kids, Gia and Luca, have become increasingly enthusiastic about their siblings coming, centering their prayers one hundred-percent around their Ciana and Rocco. This, mixed in with the holiday spirit that’s in the air, just adds to our excitement for what’s next.

Though we haven’t been able to commit to many parties or plans this year because of the uncertain arrival time of the twins, we are enjoying the holiday festivities. We have some fun holiday traditions that we make sure to do every year, one of them being the classic opening of new pajamas on Christmas Eve. However, Tiffany takes this event to a whole new level. Each year she buys new matching Christmas onesies for the four of us…Trying to squeeze into these onesies each year is not easy for me, but we have fun with it.

Tiffany has started a new tradition with the kids this year; something she calls “The Giving Tree.” This tree is one that our kids get to decorate progressively—each time they do something kind for someone outside of our family they get to hang an ornament on the Giving Tree. It’s been so fun to watch Gia run to the car after school each day and share with excitement what she’s done for someone else: “I opened the door for my classmate today!” or, “I helped my teacher clean today!” It has opened the door for us to teach our kids what Christmas is truly about: Celebrating God’s gift of His Son. They are learning that when we give to others, we can experience more of Christ’s love and sacrifice.

“A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” —Proverbs 18:16

Since having kids of our own, I am able to further understand and appreciate just how amazing the love of God is—that He would give His Son as a sacrifice for us. This gift is the ultimate expression of selflessness. I couldn’t imagine having to give up any one of my children! But seeing the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son for God and then God’s willingness to give His Son for us is truly humbling. This act portrays God’s extreme devotion and endless love for His people. This is why we celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

—Tyler Clutts

(After this article was written, on December 11 the Clutts family grew from four to six, welcoming Ciana and Rocco into the world!)

Tyler Clutts is a regular contributor to The Increase, providing monthly articles and opinions.

Check out Tyler’s Increase profile here: http://theincrease.com/author/tylerclutts/  

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