One important aspect of the Christmas celebrations is the emphasis on life and joy, as opposed to death and suffering. The tree of life, a major cultural symbol for countless generations, is placed in the middle of our living rooms. We give gifts of merriment to each other, as the magi did for the Master Jesus. We hold the memory of the savior's birth; his suffering and death are topics to be meditated on on separate times of the year. We now possess the opportunity to contemplate the wonder and gift of our lives on this planet. We once dwelt in the presence of our Heavenly Parents, but how joyous it is that we now have our first physical bodies to gain greater ecstasy and happiness.