Have a Holly, Jolly...Holiday?
By Felicia (Fee) Benamon (12/12/05)
Happy Holidays, "Holiday" tree, "Holiday" sale, "Holiday" parties. You get my drift. The true meaning of the reason we celebrate and give gifts has come under fire this season. Christmas, as it should be called across the board, should be a time that we reflect about our Savior Jesus Christ, who came to this Earth to die in place of us, that we will not be forever separated from God. Just as the wise men gave Jesus presents as they gazed upon Him and worshipped Him, we give gifts to each other, to show our love and appreciation. And to remember the biggest gift given to mankind, God's Son.
But in the midst of the hustle and bustle, the shopping (mad dashes to grab up material items; sparking images of the Running of the Bulls in Spain), the parties, and decorations, we've missed the main point.
JESUS is the reason for the season, the reason we celebrate Christmas...as so many retail chains have forgotten. But to the retailer, it's all about worshipping that almighty dollar, in an effort to be inclusive to all shoppers. However, a few retailers have turned back to calling the Christmas Tree what it is.....a Christmas Tree, after complaints from people across the nation. We need to keep the focus on the meaning of the Season, rather than trying to lean "new-age".
Even House Speaker Dennis Hastert has reverted back to calling the tree on the Capitol grounds the Christmas Tree... not the Capitol Holiday Tree, as the trend started in the 90's. Thank God for leaders who realize our traditions are important, and that we shouldn't abandon them to get caught up in the "trend-of-the-moment".
Just imagine if all the Christmas songs were replaced with "holiday". See how absurd that sounds? We wish you a Merry ....holiday? Have a Holly, Jolly.....holiday? As a friend of mine said, "Well...which holiday? There are so many".
As usual, Nativity scenes are under fire as well. I was shocked to hear the latest debacle in a nearby town. How can you have a Nativity scene without the baby Jesus?! Or without Mary or Joseph?! That's the story here, in the Bartlett, TN area...the local library has allowed a church to put up a Nativity scene, but sans the baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! During the most Holy time of the year, the Bartlett library chooses to leave out the most important elements in the Nativity scene! This has gone beyond ridiculous, it's ...unthinkable! Similar incidents are happening all over the U.S., and sadly, it's reached "small town" America. And NO way are Christians going to sit back and allow this sort of farce to occur! We will fight to preserve our traditions, and at the same time, we will keep our joy!
Remember "...the joy of the Lord is your strength"--Nehemiah 8:10
Sharing the message of Christmas
Christmas is a happy time of year, a time for us to show kindness to our fellow man. Even atheists and non-Christians have to appreciate that. So anyone who seeks to water down Christmas into a secular holiday, or to remove it altogether from society, obviously has some other negative, sinister motive.
What's so hard about wishing someone a Merry Christmas? With all of the caroling, the food, the scents (peppermint, cinnamon), the lights, everyone should be in a jolly mood! The Christmas movies (my favorite: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation )...Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas carols, one can't be grumpy this time of year!
So the grumpy grinches who are trying to go after the Christmas meaning...they just need a bit of .............love. Christmas is a message of hope. In a dark world when all seems to go wrong, we can take refuge in the fact that there is a God who loves us enough to forgive our misdeeds, and who took our place when we should have been punished. That should make ANYONE glow inside! So to Christians... remain cheerful, let the happiness inside you spring forth when you wish someone a Merry Christmas!! Hopefully those who are non-Christians will see your joy and the Christmas spirit will spread.
We as Christians can choose to share the meaning of Christmas, but we will also choose to not stand aside while a few people try to attack the meaning of Christmas. Nothing is more idiotic than replacing the word "Christmas" with "Holiday", or something meaningless. It might as well be another holiday if we will leave Christmas out. Christmas is about CHRIST, and telling the Good News of His birth. Let's not forget that as we are entertaining this Christmas season. I will leave you with a Christmas poem:
Come and See!
It's a star in the heavens
Come and See!
It's a light in the stable
Come and see!
It's a babe in the manger
Come and see!
IT'S A MIRACLE OF LOVE!
--As seen on a Christmas card
May the miracle of Christmas shine in your hearts this year! May Americans of the Christian
faith continue to be vigilant to uphold their beloved traditions this season, and in the coming years!
Note: In an update regarding the Bartlett branch library... the Bartlett Mayor has requested that the Nativity scene be displayed in full, and the Bartlett library has agreed to the request. They have received many calls and emails in opposition to their removal of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in the Nativity scene. The library decided to put them back, and I believe the pressure they received from many who were concerned caused them to rethink their actions. However, the issue is not over. Other Memphis public libraries still have a policy against religious displays. It so stands, and sadly, the fight is still on to allow every library in the Memphis area to display religious references. After all, the library is a place of learning. Why censor religious references? People can learn about different religions, and learn to be tolerant of those beliefs. Displaying a Nativity scene in the library can only bring hope and happiness, and to help one to learn about the message of Christmas and why so many Americans celebrate it.
If Americans continue to stand up and defend their beliefs, we will send a powerful message. We do NOT intend to be stepped on by a few who believe it's politically correct to water down or eliminate our traditions! It pays to stand for what you believe!
Related Reading:
'Capitol' Idea: It's a 'Christmas' Tree:
http://newsmax.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?page=http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/11/29/230620.shtml
Bartlett library keeps Baby Jesus out of nativity display:
http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4211766
Library Stands Down; Jesus Will Be Allowed in Nativity Display:
http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4216983
(Printer friendly version) Email: Felicia (Fee) Benamon
