Card or no card - it’s still Christmas

 This isn’t a new subject, but traditions have changed in our household after time.  Usually I try to Christmas cards ready to send out on Thanksgiving Day.  As the years have pass, fewer people reciprocate and send cards to our home.  Could it be the cost of stamps?  Could it be that people are too busy?  Could it be that people really don’t want to communicate?  Whatever the reason, remember that Jesus always was and always will be the reason for this Holiday Season.

Things have changed over the years and I get more joy by putting together an album of the Christmas photos that people from our past send to us.  Of course, there doesn’t have to be a picture enclosed in Christmas cards, but it’s so nice to see how other families grow.  Come to think about it, I use to add a Christmas letter in my cards, but that ceased years ago.

Whatever you decide to do, keep praying for your friends (past, present and future); as you remember that Jesus is the true reason for this holy holiday season.  Merry Christmas to you and your family and God Bless Us Everyone!

Christmas card – why?

Why send Christmas cards?

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Happy Holiday, What happened to Merry Christmas?

 It’s time to go shopping once again, and this is a conversation that you might  hear one day:

“Good afternoon, I’d like to buy a Happy Holiday gift.”

“For what occasion Sir?”

“It’s a Happy Holiday gift for my wife.”

“Do you want a Valentine, Birthday, Anniversary, St. Patrick’s or a New Year’s day gift; or are you looking for an Easter, Mothers, Cinco de Mayo, Independence day, Labor day, Columbus, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Daylight Savings, Veterans, Hanukkah or a Kwanza gift?”

“No, none of those - I want a Happy Holiday gift.  People use to call it, uh, Christmas, yeah, that’s it – Christmas.  I want a Happy Holiday/Christmas Gift.”

Are we coming toward this type of department store conversation in the future?  Is there soon to be a day when we’ll have a separate departments in stores that run all year long, contains nativity sets, heart shaped boxed chocolates, shamrocks, bunnies, crosses, specialty foods, menorahs, turkeys, flags, pumpkins and fire crackers.  It would be the largest department in the entire store, well-stocked and well-staffed establishment; open all year long and available for your Happy Holiday needs.

If you’ve noticed, some of the above mentioned holiday names have been changed (and not to protect the innocent).  Why do we “mess with a good thing”?  Christmas is understood in many different languages.  Many websites would have to change their domain names if we were to replace Christmas with Holiday.  Are we to replace popular Christmas movies and Christmas songs with the words “Happy Holiday”?  Try it.  It doesn’t work.

Well, Merry Christmas and remember to keep CHRIST in the masses.

The Gift

It wasn’t given to you on Christmas, because we don’t wait to express ourselves on just one day; and besides that — it’s Jesus’ birthday and not yours.

It wasn’t given on Valentine’s Day, because we love you all year long.

It wasn’t given on St. Patrick’s Day, because we, as Christians, don’t believe in ‘luck’.

It wasn’t given on your Birthday, because we’re glad that God had a purpose just for you on that day; you were born and that was special enough.

It was given because of the love that God instills in us to be obedient when He calls us to bestow blessings to someone, and to give that ‘gift’ whenever He asks us to bless someone.

(Excerpt – “Where Did That Come From?-Revised” by Ms. “V”

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What does Christmas mean to you?

It is said that people should not debate religion or politics, but does Christmas also have a place in the arena where people tend to “agree to disagree”?  Do we get into a debate as to whether there is a Santa Clause?  Do we get bitter because we’re reminded of the loss of a loved one and it hurts too much to celebrate when this time of the year rolls around?

Is it a continual discussion as to the real birth date of Jesus Christ?  Do you get offended (as I sometimes do) when someone calls Christmas a “Xmas” day?  Is it wrong to send out Christmas cards or type a generic Christmas letter to people telling them about our year in review?  We normally spend more money on coffee or other treats, even if stamps are getting more expensive.  Some people want to celebrate or empathize with you.

Is it all about the cute Christmas songs that we all know most of the words?   Does it matter if we put up a tree, or hang a wreath or string some lights?  How about taking down the decorations – is there a specific day that they should come down?  There’s a lady nearby who keeps some Christmas something up all year – go figure.  Now, that may be taking it to the extreme, but we never know if the family is waiting for someone to come home from overseas.

Some people almost start wars over the true meaning of Christmas.  If you have Christ in your heart, then you could have a joyous season no matter what is displayed.

Christmas is not about the presents, the cards, the decorations, the songs, or the holiday (or is it holyday) – Christmas is about Jesus Christ and how everything that is mentioned above, should be celebrated and focused on with peace, love and the joy that this season brings.  It’s a reminder of how we need to live throughout the year.

So in closing, allow me to wish everyone a very “Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year”.

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Happy Holiday, What happened to Christmas?

It’s time to go shopping once again, and this is a conversation that you might  hear one day:

“Good afternoon, I’d like to buy a Happy Holiday gift.”

“For what occasion Sir?”

“It’s a Happy Holiday gift for my wife.”

“Do you want a Valentine, Birthday, Anniversary, St. Patrick’s or a New Year’s day; Easter, Mothers, Cinco de Mayo, Independence day, Labor day, Columbus, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Daylight Savings, Veterans, Hanukkah or a Kwanza gift?”

“No, none of those - I want a Happy Holiday gift.  People use to call it, uh, Christmas, yeah, that’s it – Christmas.  I want a Happy Holiday/Christmas Gift.”

Are we coming toward this type of department store conversation in the future?  Is there soon to be a day when we’ll have a separate departments in stores that run all year long, contains nativity sets, heart shaped boxed chocolates, shamrocks, bunnies, crosses, specialty foods, menorahs, turkeys, flags, pumpkins and fire crackers.  It would be the largest department in the entire store, well-stocked and well-staffed establishment; open all year long and available for your Happy Holiday needs.

If you’ve noticed, some of the above mentioned holiday names have been changed (and not to protect the innocent).  Why do we “mess with a good thing”?  Christmas is understood in many different languages.  Many websites would have to change their domain names.  Are we to replace popular Christmas movies and Christmas songs with the “Happy Holiday” motif?  Try it.  It doesn’t work.

Well, Merry Christmas and remember to keep CHRIST in the masses.

The Gift

It wasn’t given to you on Christmas, because we don’t wait to express ourselves on just one day; and besides that — it’s Jesus’ birthday and not yours.

It wasn’t given on Valentine’s Day, because we love you all year long.

It wasn’t given on St. Patrick’s Day, because we, as Christians, don’t believe in ‘luck’.

It wasn’t given on your Birthday, because we’re glad that God had a purpose just for you on that day; you were born and that was special enough.

It was given because of the love that God instills in us to be obedient when He calls us to bestow blessings to someone, and to give that ‘gift’ whenever He asks us to bless someone.

(Excerpt – “Where Did That Come From?-Revised” by Ms. “V”

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Do Christians decorate or not decorate for Christmas?

Some Christians are questioning the validity of “Christmas Decorations” during the holiday season.  There is a group that sees nothing wrong with having a tree, putting up lights or playing traditional Christmas music.  Then there are those who think that Jesus is being lost in the mix and we should not give gifts or focus on anything other than God.

What is Christmas all about anyway?  It is a time set aside to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ; the Nativity.  So, what's so bad about the things in the first paragraph?  Can Christians be true to their allegiance to God & make merry as they send out the proverbial Christmas card or deck the halls?

I do agree that the retail community has commercialized Christmas too much, especially when they tend to draw employees away from their families on Thanksgiving & Christmas Day by having them work on the holiday.  The way that Thanksgiving is lost between the celebration of Halloween and Christmas has gotten worst over the years.  And let’s not forget that some people and some places demand that Merry Christmas be replace by the words “Happy Holidays”.

As I began to decorate this year, my husband & I went to select a “live tree”.  After having had an artificial tree for over 20 years, the lights died.  Decorating the tree reminds me of the wonderful family times that we had in the past: midnight mass, chopping down our own tree, walking through the snow, the Ooo’s and Awh’s when the lights were turned on, family gathering around the dinner table, and the love that is shared during this time.

If this one time of the year gives just one person the desire to come to church, or implants a little joy and good will; then let your light so shine before men - be it spiritual or a little physical.  Instead of criticizing how we express Christmas, let’s spread the love of Christ to the world.

“Jesus is the Reason for the Season” and as you choose to decorate or not decorate – let’s remember to “Keep Christ in Christmas” and love one another instead of condemning how our neighbor chooses to celebrate with holiday decorations.

Isaiah 9:6 King James Version (KJV)

^“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

      ???What Say You???
 

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Santa Clause

Ms. "V", Granddaughter, Santa (nice man) and Tonya

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Saint Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara.  At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. 

Saint Nicholas

Americans have chosen a jolly old fictitious man dressed in a red and white suit to represent Saint Nicholas or Santa Clause.  The world has adopted this man to represent hope, love, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, and faith, not realizing that the hope that they search for is in the Fruit of God’s Holy Spirit.

Parents have told their children falsehoods about this man who supposedly comes down the chimney (then more lies to cover up the fact that there is no chimney in their house or apartment) bearing gifts.  We shouldn’t lie, especially to our children.  This myth has caused us to mound one lie on top of another and then another.  Children should know the truth about Santa Clause (he was a good man), ‘The Tooth Fairy’, ‘The Easter Bunny’, ‘Monsters’ in the closet and under the bed; they don’t exist, period.

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