On the eve of Christmas Eve, we bring you blessings, and hopes that you and yours will find peace and joy this holiday.

We all face challenges of the hustle and bustle that Christmas requires each year and no matter how hard we try, getting all the presents purchased and wrapped, and all the food purchased and cooked, and all the cards mailed out, is always a challenge.

But we do all of this for a reason. It is the season to celebrate the birth of Christ and share the peace and spirit of giving with our friends, family and loved ones.

There’s a longstanding cliché that has hung around for good reason – remember the reason for the season.

And that’s our message for today. The scripture that will be read, and the hymns will be voiced loud and clear Saturday, on Christmas Eve 2016, and they speak to the reason more eloquently than we can.

Among favorites: “On earth peace, good will to men.”

And some hymns speak loudly as well, like “Joy to the World,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

As we move toward this special time this Christmas, let’s remember the reason for the season.