Just as they had been told

Luke 2:20 ends with the shepherds returning home "glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, for everything was just as they had been told."

The verse specifically refers to the words the shepherds had been told by the angels, but beyond that Christmas points us millennia of "what we have been told" proving true. For thousands of years humankind looked forward to a promise of a Messiah who would set all things right. For thousands of years since humankind has looked back and seen these promises fulfilled while looking forward to their coming in totality in a Second Advent.

The promises are many.

Daniel 7:13-14 (written 575 years before Christ's birth)

I saw what looked like    a son of mancoming with the clouds of heaven,and he was presented    to the Eternal God. He was crowned king    and given power and glory,so that all peopleof every nation and race    would serve him.He will rule forever,and his kingdom is eternal,    never to be destroyed.

Micah 5:2-4 (written 750 years before Christ's birth)

But you Bethlehem, though you are small among the towns of Judah,Out of you will come the one who will be ruler over Israel.His greatness will reach the ends of the earth.
And he will be their peace.

Isaiah 7:4 and 9:6 (written 680 years before Christ's birth)

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel, which means God with us.For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These are just some of the written promises. And beyond these we have the promises written on the human heart. The longing for a world where things are different. The concept of justice and the idea that "this is not as it ought to be" (and with it, the hope that someday it will change).

As we look back and as we look forward, the promise remains. All these things will be just as we have been told.

Praise and glorify Him for his promises: past, present, future.

Name some. Thank Him for them. Appropriate them by faith because they are already true if you are in Christ. You don't make them true. You don't ask him to come and help, His promises are fulfilled even now! Praise and glorify!