The Christmas Spirit

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

As we celebrate Christmas with our loved ones, we remember the true reason for the season: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the promise of a loving God who offered to us His only son. 

On Christmas Eve, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the idea of the Christmas Spirit. Many may think of the Christmas Spirit as baking cookies or decorating the Christmas tree. While this is true, the Christmas Spirit also manifests in how we treat one another. The true Christmas Spirit reflects the teachings of Jesus: love one another, share our gratitude for all of the good things in our lives and give back to those less fortunate.  

Showing kindness is the Christmas Spirit. Counting our blessings is the Christmas Spirit. Giving back in our communities is the Christmas Spirit. Thanking others is the Christmas Spirit. Helping our neighbors – strangers, too – is the Christmas Spirit.

One of the blessings I’m giving thanks for this Christmas is the service of our brave men and women in uniform overseas. Our service members and their families sacrifice time together on Christmas so the rest of us can celebrate with our families in peace. We owe them a debt we can never truly repay.

I’m looking forward to spending this evening the same as I do every Christmas Eve: hosting dinner at my home in Fort Pierre with around 100 of my family members, including my kids and grandkids. I hope that you are able to celebrate your traditions this Christmas with your family, friends and loved ones. 

Wishing you and your families a blessed Christmas and a joyful holiday season. It is an honor to work for you in the United States Senate. Thank you for all you to do make South Dakota the greatest place in the world to call home.