Christmas or Holiday Season?

Lately there has been a major amount of air time on local radio discussing a recent poll from Fox News that indicating whether "The American People" prefer to say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays". For your reference, here is the original report from Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,467571,00.html

The hoopla over this survey, at least locally, made me shudder a little bit. I listened to the multitudes of angry, and I mean very angry people practically shouting about how disgusting it that as a society we have chosen the politically correct catchall "Happy Holidays" and that it is all the fault of the Democratic Party and the left wing liberals. In their angst over the selection of words used in greetings they mixed in the stripping of religious content in school plays, the loss of manger scenes in public areas and the elimination of the Ten Commandments and The Lord's Prayer in schools.

OK. Take a breath. A deep breath.

The Christian tradition is Christmas. That's why it is called Christmas. It is irrelevant and inmaterial to mix in any discussion regarding whether or not Christ was actually born in December...the TRADITION is that we celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Day, December 25. So, if you are a Christian and want to say "Merry Christmas" go right ahead. If you are a Christian and you want to embrace the season that Jesus would have celebrated in His time, say "Happy Holidays". There is nothing un-Christian in saying "Happy Holidays". And if someone greets you with "Happy Hannuka" smile and return the blessing.

A far greater danger lurking about and undermining the Christ in Christmas is the behavior of Christians who celebrate Santa Claus more than they celebrate the birth of a Savior. I once witnessed a pastor asking a group of children IN CHURCH during the Children's Sermon what they were anxiously awaiting? To a one they all said Santa Claus! Remember, this was in church!

I am not against Santa Claus, I love the imagery involved and the ease with which innocence is demonstrated through a child's eager acceptance of the myth. But let us be clear and put the responsibility for making Christmas a generic holiday were it really lies. If we as Christians do not massively redirect our attention to the REAL reason for our season it will become generzied through our apathy. When we choose to celebrate a fat, jolly man in a red suit, sitting in a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer above and beyond a tiny, innocent baby in a manger it is we who have taken Christ out of Christmas.