Christmas is a time for celebration.

Many Christmas celebrations take place around our country.

A lot of money is spent on Christmas celebrations.

Food, decorations, presents, etc.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a Christmas celebration. Winter is not my favorite season, but I love Christmas. As much as I loathe the cold and dark days of the season, I love the twinkle of the lights, the smell of fresh baked goods, and the coziness of snuggling with a blanket and a good book.

But in order to simplify our Christmas celebration, I want to spend less on things that don't matter. I don't want to buy presents just for the sake of buying presents.

Compassion has given us an opportunity to build hope this Christmas.

Imagine living in an area where your daily wage is under one dollar. What kind of Christmas can you provide for your children on that kind of salary?

Imagine living in an area where children are dying from preventable diseases like malaria and cholera. What kind of Christmas can you provide for your children when you don't know if they will survive until the next Christmas?

In Tanzania, Compassion partners with more than 300 churches, serving over 72,000 children. These children are being provided for over and above what their parent's salary can provide. These children are receiving medical care to help them survive until their next birthday and beyond. These children are learning that their eternal hope is found in Jesus through the many caring volunteers at the local churches who love on these children.

So how does this fit in with your Christmas celebration this year?