Labrador Letter: Christmas 2025

The Christmas season is upon us, and across Idaho families are gathering around tables and Christmas trees. The decorations are up, families are together, and for a few days we get to step back from the day to day and remember what matters most.

The past few years have been tough on a lot of Idaho families. The lingering effects of inflation from the previous four years mean many are still feeling the pinch at the grocery store and the gas pump. Some families are dealing with health problems or mourning loved ones who won’t be at the table this year. Others have children stationed overseas, far from home. These struggles are real, and they don’t disappear just because the calendar says it’s Christmas.

And yet, the Christmas story speaks directly to that reality. The first Christmas didn’t happen in comfort or prosperity. It happened in a stable. A young mother and father, far from home, with nowhere to stay. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in the most humble circumstances you could imagine and laid in a manger because there was no room anywhere else. No fancy decorations. No celebration. Just the most important moment in human history, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

God didn’t send His son to a palace or a temple. He sent Him to ordinary people facing real hardship. When everything else feels uncertain, when the bills pile up and the challenges seem overwhelming, we can remember that the greatest moment in history happened in the humblest setting imaginable.

I hope you get some time this Christmas to be with the people you love. To step away from the stress and obligations. To remember the real reason we celebrate.

Merry Christmas. May your home be filled with joy and peace.