It doesn't always feel like Christmas in Oklahoma. The temperature on Christmas Eve peeked at 58 degrees. There is no snow on the ground. It's a far cry from my childhood in the freezing Chicago lakefront suburbs.
And yet, Christmas really has very little to do with snow. It has little to do with jingle bells. And it has little to do with the materialism which drives our economy at this time of year.
Christmas is all about the Christ-child, come to earth to be the Savior of all mankind. It is about the reality of a loving, compassionate God, setting out the fulfill the promises that He made to His chosen people for many centuries. It is about the central act in human history, where the divine became flesh in order to relate to us in a way that we could understand.
There has been a great deal of debate regarding the term "Merry Christmas", as many seek to replace it with the politically correct (and utterly empty) "Happy Holidays".
Growing up Jewish, I am well aware that while Hanukkah is an important event to celebrate, it is only a time of gift-giving because it is on the calendar near Christmas, and the Jews don't want to be left out of the holiday celebration enjoyed by the Christians at this time of year. Certainly the miracle of Hanukkah should be celebrated by the Jewish people, but Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur would be far more suitable holidays for gift giving.
Gift-giving and holiday celebration at this time of year exists because of Christmas. And there is no reason to celebrate Christmas except for the fact that it is recognized as the birth of Christ. Whether or not the date is correct really doesn't matter. What's important is that Christmas is all about giving BECAUSE God gave His very best when He sent His Son to live amongst us, teach us, and ultimately, die for all our sins.
Call it "happy holidays" if you want. Even the word "holiday" has its root in the latin phrase "holy day". See, there's no escaping it?
The politcally correct and hypersensitive may try to strip the Christ out of Christmas. A radical, angry minority may act offended and seek to remove nativity scenes from towns and villages. The ACLU may kick and scream while others enjoy their freedom of religion. But there is no denying the real reason for the season. It is futile.
Christmas has always been, and will always be, about Jesus Christ.
Happy Birthday, Jesus.
May you know His joy and peace this Christmas, and always.
Merry Christmas to all!
It's Del.icio.us!
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