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KIM SHIPPEY, SENIOR WRITER

Apparently this Christmas, decorations and celebrations are likely to be more extravagant, more energy-consuming, and more expensive than ever before—perhaps even more contrived, as people try to put a new face on their holiday gatherings.

Newsweek magazine predicts Americans will use more than 38,000 miles of ribbon. And if you're throwing a party and want to go over the top in your efforts to be different, instead of a jovial, generous Santa, you can engage a fun-loving curmudgeon who comes to town complaining about the food and hurling presents around. There's a house in Bellingham, Washington, that's expected to display more than 35,000 lights.

But rest assured. We'll be talking a lot less about external trimmings in these pages than about rediscovering the newness within ourselves. We'll be focusing on fresh approaches to the age-old story of the birth of Christ Jesus, which doesn't call for rewriting or refurbishing, just reliving. It's a narrative filled with wonder, comfort, and hope—and freely available to everyone, everywhere.

"The gift of the Christ," writes Devon LaMaster in our lead article, "is a priceless spiritual treasure [that] is not just seasonally, but always, with us."

In keeping with Sentinel tradition, we devote a full page to Mary Baker Eddy's essay "What Christmas means to me." We visit several parts of the world to see how various cultures celebrate Christmas. There are two pages for kids. And several writers talk about different forms of gift-giving—including Bettie Gray, who, one year, couldn't afford to buy gifts for her children, yet found a way to please them "straight from the heart."

We hope this issue will bring added joy to your lives, and remind you of the eternal freshness of the Christmas message.

The Christian Science Sentinel was founded in 1898 by Mary Baker Eddy, and its mission remains the same: "to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love." The Sentinel continues to report on the unlimited ways that the healing power and presence of the Christ activates, uplifts, and transforms the lives of everyday people around the world.

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December 24, 2007

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