Don't Like The Term Christmas? Here's An Idea

Maybe I'm just becoming a grumpy old man. It has always bothered me that the word Christmas continues to get brushed aside in favor of the generic term "Holiday". But for whatever reason, this year it's really getting under my skin.

I remember even as a young boy, it used to bug me that people abbreviated it as "Xmas". I was not raised in a home which was into going to church or anything. But even so, there was something obvious to even my (then) underdeveloped mind when this was the trend.

As I was driving around yesterday, a thought crossed my mind that just seemed to click. For those of you who are offended by the term Christmas, I think I have a solution for you. You see, December 25th, whether you like it or not, is the date that is recognized worldwide as the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. A week from Friday begins Hanukkah, and I'm certainly not offended by this. But for reasons which are only too obvious, Christmas is becoming a word going the way of the 8 track tape, rotary dial telephone and ditto machine. In fact, I'm almost longing for the days when they abbreviated it Xmas. At least then there was some attempt at implying the identity of the holiday.

So here we are. December 2009. There is a generation growing up today who have no idea what this season truly means. We have become so politically correct by tippy toeing around the global minority who actually don't celebrate Christmas. In doing so, we have silently and wimpishly (yeah, I made that word up) communicated to the world that we're ashamed. 

Hey, if you don't believe in Christmas and what it means, here's an idea. Don't take the day off! Work that day! You can't have it both ways. You shouldn't be allowed to celebrate that day if the very meaning of the day offends you. I wouldn't feel right taking time off for Yom Kippur. I have nothing against it. It's simply a sacred day for Jews, and I'm not Jewish. I'm not offended by those who honor this day, nor are they offended that I work that day.

As for me, I am going to stand up and take back the real meaning of this season, and what December 25th means to me and those who share my faith. I am not ashamed of what Christmas means. I am not ashamed to be identified as someone who believes in the virgin birth of my Savior. 

If you don't like Christmas, be my guest. But while you're at it, just treat it like any other day. But you can't, and you won't take away what Christmas truly means. You won't take it away from me, anyway. Others may hand it over like they did their lunch money to the school bully. But I won't. 

So all of you who don't like the term Christmas, you're on notice from me. Jesus didn't come to this world so that I would kowtow to the milquetoast whims of my generation. He didn't come to appease the masses. He didn't come to be popular among the religious and political movers and shakers. He came to rock their worlds. He came to disrupt the pious and self-righteous. He came to save us from the fate to which our own pride and self interest destined us. He subjected Himself to the human frailty we too must endure. Yet He did so without sinning. He did so perfectly. He endured torture that makes waterboarding seem like patty cake. 

Christmas is sacred. You don't have to believe it for it to be true. But respect it you will, if you're going to be around me. 

If you're with me and you're tired of the advances made by those who seek to remove the sacred meaning of Christmas, it's high time we rise up. They're not just taking away the meaning of Christmas. They're going after everything we believe. They're going after the very core of our faith. 


What are you going to do about it?


"the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force"
Matthew 11:12b