President Thomas S. Monson says put Christ at center of Christmas

President Uchtdorf said "Christmas is really about Christ."

"It is Christmas and some of the cherished traditions of the season that remind us that we, like the Wise Men of old, should seek the Christ and lay before Him the most precious of gifts: a broken heart and a contrite spirit," he said.

President Uchtdorf said some people have an incomplete understanding of what Christmas really is.

"We have in our minds a picture of how everything should be — the perfect tree, the perfect lights, the perfect gifts and the perfect family events."

But sooner or later, something unpleasant occurs.

"As a result, the Christmas season is often a time of stress, anxiety, frustration and perhaps even disappointment," he said.

It is through opening theirs hearts and minds to the spirit of Christmas that people are able to recognize the wonderful things happening around them, directing their attention to the sublime, he said.

"In one way or another, the Spirit touches our hearts, and we see that Christmas, in its essence, is much more sturdy and enduring than the many minor things of life we too often use to adorn it."

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