MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Recently at Louisianna State University, a spokeswoman for a university department referred to the campus Christmas tree as a “Holiday Tree”. Needless to say this did not fly with many people, so the name isn’t sticking. However, it is a great example of just how much Christ is being removed from this season, so much so that Christians are becoming unable to publicly recognize the season which is meant to give them so much joy and hope.

In moving from saying “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays”, you are doing a number of things. First, you are removing God from the season that He created! And in removing God from the season you remove Christ. And in removing Christ, you remove all public witness to, and may I be so bold as to say all hope for, salvation.

Second, in saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”, you make other holidays as important as Christmas, the holy day when God was born of a virgin. You are saying that anyone’s “holiday” that they may make up is just as important as the birth of the world’s Savior! How can such a thing be said and believed!?

In removing “Merry Christmas”, we make it easier for us Christians, and the rest of the world, to forget the reason for the season. We make it easier to forget why we exchange presents and come together as a family over a meal on December 25 of all days. Worst of all, we forget one of the most beautiful sights eyes have ever seen—the Incarnation silently born in a manger, lovingly being gazed upon by his family and visitors.

Recently Pope Benedict said that Christmas without Christ is meaningless. I concur!