Are You the Inn Keeper at Christmas?

Let's face it, the Holidays are full.  They are full of hectic trips to the mall to get that perfect present for a loved one.  They're full of last minute runs to the grocery store for that ingredient you forget every year.  Then there's the wrapping, the decorating, the card sending, the cleaning to prepare for friends and family, and on and on.  Yes the holidays are full of alot of great things.  The question I'd like to pose is this: is your holiday also full of the most important good thing?
When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem they found the local inn and were told that it was completely full.  In fairness to the inn keeper at that time it is doubtful that he knew who he was talking, so we can't blame him for providing them the manger as a last resort.  Unfortunately we can't give ourselves the same benefit of the doubt when we give Jesus the left over room of our holiday.
I am not trying to say that the gifts and the time with family isn't important.  To be sure, we give gifts to remember the wisemen came bearing gifts on the inaugural Christma, and I can only imagine the searching they did to find the right gifts for that occasion.  And family is one of the most vital institutions in our culture and it is important to connect and spend time with one another.  I only want to point out that when it comes to how and why we celebrate Christmas, those things should all be given their proper place and Jesus should be given the highest place and highest priority.  It should always be that way in our live, God first and everything else after Him, but it should be even more apparent on this Holiday.
So wake up early, unwrap the gifts and eat too much all day.  Pile into the car and visit all the stops you have meticulously scheduled to see everyone you should.  If you have a large family like I do, have patience when you give the same answer to a question you've been asked by ten different people.  But most of all keep Jesus first and remember that we give gifts to each other not only because of the wisemen but even more so because this event was the beginning of the greatest gift God ever gave to all of us.  Merry Christmas.