The Reason for the Season

My friend, Becky, has a great blog post today. You can go read it there, but I also stole it to copy here in case people won't click the link. Either way...here it is:


The Reason for the Season

That's a really cute catchphrase. It rhymes and everything. Here's another one I like: "Keep Christ in Christmas."

You know what, though? We don't wait until Christmas to learn about Christ. And guess what we found out in our studies? That the "X" in "X-mas" is a symbol for Christ. So if you X it out, you're really leaving it in!

Guess what else? We sing Christmas carols in June sometimes. And talk about the humble birth of the baby Jesus when we talk about His work on earth. So at Christmas, if we want to shop ourselves silly, sing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and eat Velveeta-laden casseroles until we throw up, we're still celebrating.

Should we say, "Happy holidays" or "Merry Christmas?" How 'bout both? Along with "How are you today?" and "What can I do to help?" A big, sparkly grin is nice, too, and a much nicer way to decorate your Christian self than a sequined sweater.

It's nice to visit a nursing home at Christmas. It's also nice to pay for the McDonald's order of the guy in line behind you on President's Day, rescue a stranded puppy on Easter, buy some groceries for a needy family on the Fourth of July and drive a disabled veteran to his doctor's appointment on Labor Day. And still be celebrating Christmas.

Let me suggest something: If your main complaint this holiday season is that you don't approve of the music or activities that accompany Christmas these days, perhaps you should think about "the reason for the season."