Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, or Seasons Greetings

Okay, I know I'm probably setting myself up for a backlash of negative comments writing this post, but I'm going to go ahead and voice my viewpoint anyways. There are a lot of things going around by people saying we SHOULD be saying Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings at this time of year. I don't necessarily agree with this. Before you start shunning me, or trying to persuade me how wrong I am and try to teach me the right way I should think, please read everything.

For most people, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. That's fine, but if that's all this holiday was about, then why do we put up decorations around our house that have nothing to do with Jesus, or why do we hang lights outside on our house--that has nothing to do with Jesus. Why are stockings hung on the fireplace for Santa Claus? Does buying our family and friends a bunch of gifts have anything to do with Jesus? Does decorating a Christmas tree have anything to do with His birth? The nativity scenes we decorate with aren't necessarily a true representative of the birth, after all wasn't Jesus found by the wise men a couple of years after his birth, not as a baby lying in the manger? We sing carols and songs that aren't true representations of this time--when does the Bible talk about a little drummer boy coming to see Jesus?

I could go on and on, and yes, I know that some traditions may have started out with Jesus in mind (like gift giving because the wise men brought gifts to Jesus), but on December 24th and 25th, are we really making sure our family and friends are meditating on the reason for this tradition as they are ripping off the bows and wrapping to unveil a toy or piece of jewelry that maybe some of us even had to go into debt to pay for? I don't think so. I think Jesus would prefer us not to be going into debt, or even if you're not in debt and can afford to buy lots of things, would Jesus really want us to lose self control and buy a ton of presents that eventually just becomes excess things around our house to clean up after?

Please don't tell me that EVERYTHING we do at Christmastime is all to focus on the birth of Jesus, because I don't think it is. I think it's true that Christmas has become so out of hand at times with people getting stampeded on and pushed and shoved as they rush through the doors of stores at 4:00 in the morning on Black Friday only to buy those Christmas presents. If you want to brave that environment, that is definitely your prerogative, but is this craziness all part of Christmas or just part of the Holidays? Many people don't want to associate the example above with Christmas--they will say that it is an example of the Holidays. Yet, those are the same people that insist this time of year be called Christmas, and call those presents Christmas presents, and those presents they went crazy for are being opened on Christmas day. Is this making any sense to anyone? Surely someone out there understands what I'm trying to say.

I love having a tree up and lights on the house as much as anyone, but that is Holiday to me, not Christmas, and I let my children know that is what I think. I also let them know that Jesus' birth was not a big hoopla celebration, but a quiet night that only some angels and shepherds shared in along with Mary and Joseph, and that is Christmas to me and not Holiday.

To some people, Christmas is a season in the year when we should be showing more patience and grace and mercy to people. It's also a time when people who don't go to church regularly show up for Christmas Eve service. What?? Shouldn't we be doing this everyday and consistently throughout the year and not just at Christmastime? Yes, we should, but unfortunately to many religious people (meaning they do things out of tradition because they really don't have a relationship with Christ) this is their mind thought. Why, as Christians, would we want the worldly people to look at us and give them one more thing to think hypocritically of us--that we only act like Christ at Christmas, but they don't see us doing that any other time of the year. Wouldn't we win more souls to Christ if we were acting like we are supposed to all of the time and not just putting on a sweet, syrupy show for people at Christmas? Wouldn't we win more souls if we volunteered at the hospitals, and nursing homes, and food kitchens throughout the year to talk to the lonely and dieing instead of waiting at Christmas to focus more on people's dire, desperate, destitute needs because Christmastime is when we "are supposed" to care more about people and give more to people? Shouldn't we have our eyes opened to people's needs and act on those needs throughout the year? How come the Salvation Army is only ringing bells at Christmastime and not throughout the whole year? How come small groups wait until Christmas to "adopt" a family or person to supply their needs at this time of the year, don't they have needs that need to be met throughout the year? Again, does anyone understand what I am trying to say here?

One other thing I want to say about all of this political/religious/Christian correctness is I don't mind sending out "Christmas" cards that say Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings on them because to me, I am wishing all of my friends whether they are Jews celebrating Hanukkah, or non believers celebrating the Holiday time (tree, presents, lights, etc., but not including anything concerning Jesus) a wonderful time of being with family and friends and my wishes are extending into the new year. New Years is a separate holiday from Christmas, but my wishes at Christmastime are extending into New Years, so why not say Happy Holidays--I'm wishing them well for both holidays, not just Christmas.

What it comes down to for me is celebrate this time of year however you want to, but don't tell me that just because I'm a Christian I SHOULD be saying to people Merry Christmas and sending out Christmas cards instead of Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings cards. My family still hangs the stockings, we still put up the tree, we still go buy presents, we still set out the nativity scene, we still sing about the little drummer boy, we still "adopt" a family at Christmas. But at the same time, we still try to visit the homeless and the elderly, attend church regularly, keep our eyes open for ways to help people who have lost jobs, or loved ones, and we try daily to show patience, grace, and mercy to everyone we meet and do all of this throughout the year, not just at Christmastime.

Whether you totally disagree with what I've written, or if you can see my point and maybe it's even opened your eyes and heart a little bit to really take a look at what Christmastime is and means to you, I want to wish you unashamedly:

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND SEASONS GREETINGS!!!!!!!!