Everyone knows that there is a war on Christmas, but not everyone realizes that the opposition to Christmas, or at least certain aspects of it, comes from both sides. On one hand, there are those who twist the meaning of separation of church and state and insist that any and all Christian symbols not be displayed publicly. Cuz, you know, mangers are menacing and all that. On the other hand, there are Christians who abhor the materialism that seems to embody the holiday. Not only that, but they remind everyone about the pagan origins of Christmas and its beloved symbols. OH, and the big one...S-A-N-T-A rearranged spells S-A-T-A-N. Scary stuff.
I grew up within the "Anti-Claus" ranks. If the jolly red elf was on an ornament, card, or wrapping paper, ya just didn't buy it! Period! To this day I feel guilty about hanging a little Santa on our tree.
I'm not here to argue for or against either side, but I will tell you that, for our family, Christmas is most definitely all about the birth of Jesus and celebrating His gift to the world. We have never told our children that Santa is real, but we haven't banned him, either. We like to remember who Saint Nicholas was and what he did. We enjoy giving gifts, but that's not what the holiday is all about. When someone says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", I will probably respond with "Merry Christmas" anyway. With a smile. Oh, and "Merry Xmas?" Yeah--I really hate that one. I know some people say that it's just a short cut, but c'mon. How hard is it to write five little ol' letters?
Mr. Rodney King once asked, "Can't we all just get along?" Sadly, the answer is, "No". There will always be fault finders and haters on both sides. So, I just ask Christians who are trying to do away with Christmas to rethink it. Find the joy in the season and celebrate this special, Christ-filled time with your family and friends.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!
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