I look around their rooms, cluttered with toys.
Isn't it enough?
The nativity we have for the kids lay scattered across the fireplace, upturned, pieces missing and forgotten.
"Happy Holidays" "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" and other secular songs play on the speakers in the store. Definitely not any songs mentioning the word "Christmas" or even worse "Jesus" phrases and words that have become almost politically incorrect to speak and share.Enough.
I am done.
Yes, everyone does not share my views. But why, why have the views and opinions or the minority superseded the majority. I will not shove it down your throat, I will not trample you with my beliefs-- so why is it okay for the minority to do it to those who believe, saying we can't say that because it offends them. Would someone who doesn't believe in Jesus truly be offended if someone wished them a Merry Christmas ? Or would they simply return what is meant to be a kind pleasantry with a wish of Happy Holidays? Both parties can then go on their way, happy that someone acknowledged them, reached out to be kind and no offense would be given or felt.
Why has it become offensive or bad for me to believe in God?
I straighten the manger back up. Carefully placing baby Jesus in his place.
I have the kids help me make gift baskets to take to our neighbors and friends and point out how good it feels as we are delivering.... serving... giving."Happy Holidays" the store clerk greets me. "Merry Christmas to you too" I respond with a smile.
I am taking back Christmas.
Linking up today with Shell
P.S. Friday is Week 3 of the Review Extravaganza- it is not too late to join in- you can just recap all of the months we have done or just jump in with July, August and September Reviews. You can read the rules here.
Amen and hallelujah!
ReplyDeleteChrist needs to be in Christmas.
Sounds like your days are very normal.
http://youtu.be/3AZK_ymX_qo
DeleteGood for you! While I am very careful to draw a line between "secular" Christmas and "Christian" Christmas in my capacity as a government attorney, I also feel the need to recognize religious holidays for what they are. I think the public in general has become afraid of religion, if you will, in a manner that actually ends up breeding more discontent and disagreement.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your accepting sentiments. I am far from offended if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas (UNLESS it is someone who knows I'm not pagan and does it with a particular tone of voice as to indicate judgment or condescention). Why would I be offended if someone is wishing me a Merry anything? It's wishes for happiness! I will thank them, and will return either a Merry Christmas if it is a friend of mine who I know to be Christian, or a Happy Holidays if I don't know.
When we send out our holiday cards, we mostly send out "Happy Holidays" cards, but we also have a few Christian and Jewish specific cards for particular friends.
What I find very interesting is how much more tendancy there is to be anger surrounding the use/non-use of the word Christmas (from both sides - the religious and non-religious) than there is over Hanukkah. But, to wax on that intracacy would lengthen an already overly long post.
Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice (tomorrow), Happy Hanukkah, Festivus, Chalica, Kwanza, and New Year.
And Season's Greetings too.
For some reason I wrote "someone who knows I am not pagan" above. It should read either "someone who knows I am not Christian" or "someone who knows I'm pagan."
ReplyDeleteI love this.
ReplyDeleteI say Merry Christmas- I don't mean it as an offense to anyone else, but Christmas is important to me- and so that is what I say.
Take back Christmas. :)
Wow! My post today is similar. Merry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteSo true! I realized the same thing as we were doing many versions of "giving" and it took Bear quite a bit to figure out why we were doing all these things. As far as he expressed "Santa is coming" and that was it! A good starting point? Shouting out Merry Christmas (and in smaller circles, for my family, saying- Happy Birthday Jesus!!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you friend! It does seem that the real reason of Christmas does get forgotten. You are teaching your kids good lessons by having them serve others. Great job mom!
ReplyDeleteI always say Merry Christmas. Because I understand some of the store clerks can't say it, but, dammit, I can.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that Christmas needs to be taken back, but it's not the atheists or non-Christians that are taking it away. It's the corporations and the retail industry. I've chosen to "take back" Christmas by boycotting Black Friday and not spending obscene amounts of money on presents. I've decided that joy is from spending time with those you love and being kind to others is more important than stuff.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Great post! Take back Christmas! :)
ReplyDeletePreach it sista! I'm right there with you!
ReplyDeleteYou know we are on the same page about this! I love taking it back one bit at a time.
ReplyDeleteYou touched on one of my MAJOR pet peeves. It's MERRY CHRISTMAS people, it's a CHRISTMAS program not a winter program especially when the kids are singing Christmas songs. It just drives me crazy that the whole 'Happy Holiday' thing is taking over.
ReplyDeleteI could go on but this is a comment not a post HA!
I'm so with you, I always reply Merry Christmas also.
Merry Christmas Em! Love you!!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my gripes too!! Christmas is CHRIST-mas and always has been!!
ReplyDeleteI make sure to say Merry Christmas also and stay away from Happy Holidays.
Good post and I am sure it touches a chord with many people!!
And a MERRY CHRISTMAS to you Emmy!!
I actually feel like it's moving more towards people saying Merry Christmas over Happy Holidays, but I agree with your sentiments... it's a greeting, well wishes. Take it as it means.
ReplyDeletePerfect post for what many are feeling this week.
Target in Temecula has a banner that says: Merry Christmas. I was so excited I took a picture! Emily made a manger scene with her petshops. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of I want going on in this house too! But I agree with you 100% Merry Christmas, and God Bless us, EVERY ONE!!!
ReplyDeleteAmen! And MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ReplyDeleteYes...Merry Christmas indeed! Sounds like you and I are on the same page!
ReplyDelete3 words for ya:
ReplyDeleteYOU GO GIRL!
love it.
ReplyDeletethe end.
I can totally get behind this.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and your family. God bless!
ReplyDeleteRight on! Have a Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister!!! Seriously, this is the BEST post I've read on this very topic!
ReplyDeleteWhat gets me is that if you are offended by Christmas--don't celebrate it! Don't put up a tree, don't take the day from work off, don't participate in ANY of it if you are that offended. It's like they want to take the fun stuff but get mad when you bring up the real reason for the season. Sorry, not trying to get on my soapbox, but if I don't like something, I don't do it. I don't tell other people that they shouldn't.
ReplyDeleteThis was great! We do need to take back Christmas. I was at Target today and the cashier wished me a Merry Christmas. I was surprised and happy to hear it.
ReplyDelete"Merry Christmas" is the correct greeting for this special holiday. Always have and always will be. Thank you for this post. You're absolutely right. We should all take back Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMy kids have that same nativity. And pieces are constantly scattered about the house! Once I found all of them riding about in a school bus.
ReplyDeleteNot a thing wrong with standing up for what you believe :-)
This is SO true, I cringe as I see my children beginning to concentrate on the "getting" part of Christmas rather than the "giving." I'm trying so hard to turn things around from early on with them and make sure they appreciate the true meaning of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post.
ReplyDeleteI don't get offended when people tell me "happy holidays" or "merry chrismtas". I say what I feel like saying (it varies sometimes depending on my mood) and I just let it be.
Amen, Emmy! I love it that you're taking Christmas back. I've done the same :)
ReplyDelete