It’s that time of year again…time to pour over favorite recipe books in preparation for family feasts, dust off the address book to send out colorful cards, break out the festive decorations, and fire up…the debate concerning which retailers use the word CHRISTMAS in their advertising.
As predictable as excessive lights on the Griswald’s lawn, every year those among the politically correct step up to sing their own “holiday” tune. They try to tell Christians that we should forgo the Christmas theme and embrace a more “inclusive spirit” by celebrating “Winter Holidays”. Even worse, they attempt to shame us if we don’t.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for inclusion…especially the inclusion of the 24,000,000+ Americans who still openly celebrate Christmas.
Recently I was reading an article which included a list of stores considered not Christmas-friendly and those that are. Comments following the article indicated most readers were appreciative of the efforts of this particular organization to let consumers know whether stores were “Naughty or Nice.”
But as I read on, I came across a notably dissenting quote from an anonymous individual…
“This sounds like a hate group!! … How can you ask a company to single out other religions? WE are a free country. Businesses need to cater to everyone. You cannot single out people. You have people shopping for Hannakah [sic] around the same time of year. Should we not like the Jews? You have Jehovah’s Witness, Kwanza, ETC…You cannot shove Christianity down people’s throats!”
Dear Anonymous, it is spelled Hanukkah {or Hanukah is also considered correct}. Furthermore, Jehovah’s Witnesses DO NOT shop for Christmas gifts because Jehovah’s Witness DO NOT celebrate Christmas.
In light of the above corrections it is clear this comment was not written by the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree but the familiarity of the sentiments bear addressing, nonetheless.
Have you ever noticed that when someone cannot intelligently speak to the merits of an issue, they resort to name calling. “Hate group?” Christmas is a holiday of Peace on Earth, celebrating the birth of Christ. It has been so for thousands of years. All Christians are asking for is continued recognition of Christ’s name during this season. Indeed, for Christians to be accused of hate for standing up for the Prince of Peace is worse than inane.
As for singling out religions, the one being singled out this time of year is Christianity. Christmas is being shoved out the door in retail print ads, radio spots and television commercials. Merchants forbid employees to say Merry Christmas. Store chains decline to promote the term Christmas decorations, though they happily sell them while making a hefty profit. Any logical shopper could deduce that retailers want our money as they vigorously advertise their “holiday specials” but they expect Christians not to be offended at the elimination of the Reason for the Season.
Free country? Absolutely. At least for now we are still allowed to celebrate our faith in the manner in which we see fit. We don’t ask Jews not to celebrate Hanukkah. Nor do we advocate for the elimination of other religious holy days. So why should we tolerate the marginalization of ours? To celebrate Christmas is not to shove Christianity down anyone’s throat. Rather it is an expression of a Christian’s faith, a tradition held for centuries that only in the past few decades, has come under fire.
Christians are not demanding everyone in America celebrate Christmas. But neither will we keep silent when those in the minority attempt to highjack our holiday. In a truly free society, ALL people of faith maintain their liberty and the beliefs of ALL are valued whether or not they are embraced by others. In a tolerant society no reasonable person would seek to purge a holiday embraced by 78% of a nation’s population.
On a final note, I would hasten to add that to believers in Christ, this holiday is not about massive spending or accumulating hoards of materialism. We simply recognize the sanctity of this holiday and we are mindful…hopefully long beyond the Christmas season… of merchants who dismiss people of faith by refusing to honor our values.
Here’s the link to the Naughty or Nice list… http://action.afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147486887
Livin4Jesus 
Yes, it IS interesting how those “naughty list” stores will eagerly participate in the most lucrative shopping season of the year, raking in the money from the hands of the millions who buy gifts as part of the celebration of CHRISTMAS. But those same stores have to be so P.C. because they don’t want to offend a few loud anti-Christians. You’d think that the publicity an angry atheist might bring to the store would be like a billboard to Christians to “Shop here, folks!”
As for Peace on Earth, it certainly is the desire among Christians. But others could not care less. It’s always bothered me how we typically hear only the King James Version quoted for this passage (from Luke 2:14), “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”, whereas most other versions imply a somewhat different meaning, as in the Amplified Bible: “… and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor].” Notice, not “goodwill toward men”, but peace “toward men of goodwill”.
For me, this explains the lack of general peace on Earth, even within a nominally Christian family, during Christmastime. After all, Jesus himself said this (in Luke 12): “51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.””
By all means, ENJOY this Christmas (especially those of you for whom this is such a favorite holiday you would never think of taking your decorations down), but keep in mind that true Peace on Earth is still an unrealized dream. Not here yet, though. But when it comes (because He is coming back) that Peace will stay for a whole thousand years.