Keep Christ in Christmas

Easter isn’t about bunnies, just like Christmas isn’t about elves, not even elves on the shelves. But it’s not Santa Claus who is coming. Jesus is coming.

That’s what Christmas is about.

It’s not about little red cups. It’s not about “Happy Holidays,” “Merry X-Mas” or “Winter Fests.” It’s funny how our secularized world wants to leave Christ out of Christmas and yet they rely on the commercialized form of “the most wonderful time of the year” to make a profit. However, people wouldn’t be shelling out bucks for a winter fest.

It’s not just the Grinch trying to steal Christmas. It’s a bah humbug of hypocritical, holiday-hypersensitive PICs (PoliticallyInCorrects). That is nothing new though. Since that first Christmas 2015 years ago, people were pushing Christ to the outskirts. There wasn’t room for Jesus in the inns. But out of the coolness of that star-studded night, the chosen few accepted the invitation to be in His presence and were the most blessed amongst blessed while others hadn’t a clue.

There are still many clueless today. In North Carolina, a group, American Atheists, paid for a highway billboard which reads, “Go ahead and skip church! Just be good for goodness sake. Happy holidays.” The funny thing is that the billboard features a picture of Santa Claus. Santa Claus is from religion. He is Saint Nicholas.

I think that those little red Starbucks cups in which a Christmas symbol was removed are no small deal. In theory, they represent an intolerant culture who wants the decked halls and silver bells but not the silent and holy night and “Joy to the World” that comes with it.

It is ridiculous that a group of House Republicans are introducing legislation “to protect the symbols and traditions of Christmas” against a movement of secularist trying to ban references to Christmas in the public square. Also, U.S. church leaders are pushing for the U.S. to name Christians as victims of genocide due to the mass killings of Christians around the globe.

These are sad times, but not surprising. Even when Jesus was a newborn, Herod was seeking his life, too, and allowed thousands of innocent babies to die in the process. No, not much has changed today.

And so, stay home for goodness sake and worship the neon light glowing in the living room which is buzzing with “Happy Holiday” madness. As for me, I look for that Christmas star every year. I don’t reach for the star, but for the one who made it, as do billions across the globe who embrace the true reason for the season. Try as they may, they cannot take the “merry,” nor the “Christ” out of Christmas.

Helena Rodriguez is a Portales native. Contact her at [email protected]