[Christmas tree centerpiece]
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If you purchase a set of "holiday cookies," this is what it might look like: one can expect to see see green and red icing for Christmas, blue icing for Hannukah, and red, black & green for Kwanzaa. Are those still "holiday cookies" if the package has only green and red? Aren't those called "Christmas cookies?" Is there a problem with labeling them as Christmas cookies?.
What about these new "holiday trees" that I have been hearing about? They look an awful lot like Christmas trees to me. What's the diff? I don't get it..
Is it because everything that somehow bears the name of Christ is of him or for him? Let us not kid ourselves. Jesus himself said that may will come to him on that day and say "Lord, Lord..." but to some, Jesus will say "depart from me... I never knew you." The Christmas holy day has become a secularized Christmas holiday. I do not see a need to make sure that the name of Christ is stripped away from rich, established tradition..
So what if we DO see a radical transformation into *The Non-Denominational Secular Thing Buying Period? Shall I tell you what I want to do about it? I want to remember the significance of the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity. I want to be freshly awed by the many, many prophecies that were fulfilled in that one life. I want to connect the dots, and see the necessary relation between Christ's birth and his death and resurrection..
Some churches will hold services on Christmas day, and some will not do that unless the 25th falls on a Sunday. My own church will have a shorter-than-usual service. (I am not sure how I feel about that.) The Christmas morning tradition in my family is that we do not open gifts until Dad (that's me) opens up the Bible and reads the account of the birth of Jesus. First things first..
Bottom line? Do not let retailers, popular media or special interest groups dictate how you celebrate Christmas, and be picky about who gets the privilege of informing you about the same. Wise men still seek him..
P.S. For any of you, who for whatever reason, do not celebrate Christmas... I still wish for you the very best. Let me offer a sincere and well-intentioned "happy holidays" to you and yours..
* This clever phrase was not my own, but it comes from an article by Sam Biddle entitled The 7 Absolute Worst Tech Gifts to Give This Holiday.
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9 comments:
May you and your family have a blessed Christmas.
As we celebrate the birth of our Lord, I remember and am eternally thankful that His death and resurrection gave me the gift of a new life in Him.
Warm hugs,
Jackie
Amen! The true meaning of Christmas has been lost to a very great degree in this country at this time. I realize I am not PC, but I still wish people a Merry Christmas. And I am still wished a Merry Christmas by a Jewish co-worker.
well said! my pet peeve is all of the christmas signs and decor in the school hallways that say Happy Holidays because they are not allowed to say: Merry Christmas. i still cant believe its gotten to "that" in our country! Merry Christmas!
amen!
excellent article!
i'm not a fan of the commercial side of christmas, to say the least.
unfortunately, christmas is so commercial now.
happy holidays!
"Lord, Lord..." but to some, Jesus will say "depart from me... I never knew you."
That's a sobering truth my friend. Thanks Craver for the good post.
I bought some Christmas gifts in Macy's the other day, and the woman behind the counter was Hindu, and sort of expressed it boldly, and so I said, "Would it be okay to wish you a Merry Christmas?" She said, "Um. yes." So I did, and I also wish everyone the same through my day of shopping.
The Merry part of Christmas is a "Joy to World, our Lord has come!", Merry, or Happy Christmas. And this joy is from Christ being born, so that we can be born again, as Charles Wesley tells us in his great hymn:
"Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
It is so good to know you as my sister, Jackie! If I never get to meet you face-to-face on this side of eternity, we will both be worshiping the Sovereign Lord for eternity, anyway.
That is very kind of your coworker, George. I bet you are a good friend to this child of Israel as well.
That gets me too, Mr. Dave. To opt out is one thing, but to disallow it altogether, that is going too far.
Betty, I have to admit that I enjoy being carried along by the commercial side of Christmas... to an extent. Still, I agree that it goes too far Betty. On the one hand, I cannot blame the stores for trying to make a dollar, but on the other hand, I don't have to like all of their tactics, either.
It is wise to ask first, Sandman. I can see that you are the type of person that people will know they can talk to when they have questions about genuine Christianity. You are like the doctor who is tender and kind to his patients, but equally capable of giving straight and honest details. God bless you, Bro!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Believe me, no one tells me what to do or say about anything.
As for the holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year! There's room for all of it.
Pearl
Well said, Craver.
I like your Bible-reading-before-anything tradition.
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