Keep Christ in Christmas

Knights of Columbus ^ | Dec., 03 | Knights of Columbus

[churchillbuff]

Sorry to be non-PC, but I was moved by all the "happy holidays!" I'm getting from people, and from President Bush's "holiday card" (which makes no reference to Christ or Christmas) to turn to the Knights of Columbus' "Keep Christ in Christmas" campaign, to help remind us of "the reason for the season.":

Keep Christ in Christmas

Each year the Knights of Columbus supports the "Keep Christ in Christmas" campaign to remind people that Christmas is above all else a holy day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. To help deliver the "Keep Christ in Christmas" message, the Order offers a variety of posters and other materials as well as public service announcements (PSAs) for radio and television.

Local K of C councils also participate in "Light Up for Christ" ceremonies as detailed below.

Public Service Announcements This year, a new public service announcement (PSA) is available, entitled Take Time to Remember. This PSA reminds viewers to make time amid thehustle of the season to remember and celebrate the holiday's religious nature. Also included on the tape are two older PSAs, Teach and Best Presents.

The Supreme Council will forward the PSA to the program directors of radio and television stations. PSAs are used most frequently when local councils make a personal appeal and deliver copies to station managers.

The PSA is available in both VHS and Beta format, and a radio PSA is available on compact disc (CD). Contact the station to inquire whether it received the PSA in the general mailing from Supreme. If the station has not received it and is interested, order one or more copies from:

Department of Fraternal Services (203) 752-4044

Light Up For Christ On the first Tuesday of December, the Knights of Columbus will "Light Up For Christ". K of C units throughout the Order are invited to turn on a switch and light a nativity scene and/or Christmas tree at 8 pm local time.

Knights of Columbus units throughout the Order conduct blessing services as part of the program. Many add activities such as caroling or a drive to collect gifts, clothing and food for the needy.

Implementing the Keep Christ in Christmas Program Here's how to participate in the Keep Christ in Christmas campaign: Display the two Keep Christ in Christmas posters available from the Supreme Council Supply Department: For Unto Us A Child Is Born (a nativity scene, #2760); and Light Up For Christ (#2757). Smaller versions are available in the Christmas Clip Art flyer (#2759). Sponsor a Keep Christ in Christmas billboard depicting the Holy Family and the campaign slogan. For pricing and ordering, contact Outdoor Posters, Inc. at (800)-251-6024. Various sizes are available. Contact CHRIST IS CHRISTmas at (800)-722-5032 to order Keep Christ in Christmas mailing seals, Advent wreaths, calendars and leaflets, and a tri-fold indoor Nativity scene. Sponsor a Keep Christ in Christmas poster or essay contest. Display winning posters in the church vestibule, school hallways or council meeting room. Read the winning essays at public functions. Send Christmas cards with a religious theme, and try to use religious postage stamps. Offer to help your parish, or a poorer parish, prepare for Christmas through cleaning, repairs, decorations or flowers. Undertake a letter-writing campaign in November to area churches or local businesses urging them to construct a religious Christmas display, such as a Nativity scene. Submit a Keep Christ in Christmas advertisement to the local bulletin or local newspaper, and include it in your council newsletter. Plan at least one council-sponsored event during December, such as a food or clothing drive, praying the rosary, or singing Christmas carols. Resist the temptation to abbreviate "Christmas" as "XMas". This abbreviation tends to trivialize the true message of the season. Further Information For further information or to order Keep Christ in Christmas posters contact: Supply Department Knights of Columbus 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326

or call (203) 752-4270.

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[YaYa123]

The card my family received from The White House contains a Bible verse, Job 10:12, and a lovely wish celebrating faith, family, and friendship. I can't imagine how you think this lovely card excludes the real meaning of Christmas.

[YaYa123]

But then, some people are offended when Christmas is written
Xmas.

http://wilstar.com/xmas/xmassymb.htm

"This abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ's name, "X" in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Although the early Christians understood that X stood for Christ's name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook "Xmas" as a sign of disrespect."

[Arpege92]

"...Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook "Xmas" as a sign of disrespect."

I never knew that....thanks for the info.

[reloader]

Vivat Jesus!. Thanks for the informative post.

[Diego1618]

You have the right to your beliefs and I would defend your rights to the death..........but I also have the same rights to believe the way I do.
Christ was never in Christmas to begin with! The origins of this holiday are totally pagan and have nothing to do with Christ or the Bible. The winter solstice celebration with the "yule log", "mistletoe", "evergreens", "drunkeness", & "general merrymaking" was in celebration of the "Rebirth" of the "SUN" and has been celebrated for at least 4000 years.
Constantine, the first "Christian" ruler of Rome brought his subjects into the fold by allowing them to bring along their ancient customs and "Christianized" them.
You can search the Bible from Genesis to Revelations and find no authorization for the celebration of this pagan holiday. Look up Santa Claus in your concordance. Times up!
Jesus was probably born sometime in the month of September anyway and nowhere are we encouraged to celebrate his birth!
If anyone wants to exchange gifts, eat heartily, and express
peace on earth... goodwill toward men......that's fine. Just don't try to put Christ into it . Like I Said...he was never there to begin with.

[AGreatPer]

Your number 4 is a freek out for me. I had no clue.

Ok, I'll stop blaming the Jewish people now.

Your good. Where do you dig this stuff up?

[Holden Magroin]

Bush is a poltically correct wimp. None of those Muslims who Bush is afraid of offending are shy about their belief in Allah. Jesus would disapprove of an ecumenical coward like Bush.

[ppaul]

[churchillbuff]

Give me President Grant any day. He is the one who signed the law declaring Christmas a national holiday - - - and he called it "Christmas," not "the season," or "solstice celebration," or "the happy holiday day." It's on the law books, the official federal calendar of federal holidays, as "Christmas" --- but George Bush doesn't have the courage to use the word in the cards he sends out. He's pandering to the ACLU and the secularists who don't want the word "Christmas" to be used in polite society. Too bad there are Republican sycophants who will still applaud him or make excuses for his gutlessness.

[churchillbuff]

This President Knows Why We Celebrate Christmas

His card doesn't show that. It says nothing about Christ or Christmas.

[DannyTN]

"Xmas"

Thanks I never knew that. I always thought it was a sign of disrepect. Now I'll just have to wonder.

[Maria S]

Thanks for your post! I have hesitated to post similarly because I don't want to step on toes. However, I think it’s important to remember that ‘Christmas’ comes from “Christ Mass” which Constantine declared to be an official ‘holy day’ (holiday) in the 4th century. The early Christians did not celebrate Christ's birth; such celebration only came into the church with the "Christianization" of pagan rites as Catholicism was made the state religion by Constantine in the fourth century A.D. It was not celebrated, commemorated, or observed, neither by the apostles nor in the apostolic church -- not for at least the first 300 years of church history!

History reveals that about 440 A.D., the Church at Jerusalem commenced the celebration of Christmas, following the lead of Roman Catholicism. Before that it was sufficient for the early Christians that Jesus, their Lord and Savior, had been born. They praised God that Jesus Christ had, indeed, come in the flesh. The day and the time of His birth had no relevance to them, because Jesus was no longer physically on earth.

I believe the only ritual we are to observe (as commanded by the New Testament) is that of the Lord's Supper. Just my thoughts; please forgive me if I have offended anyone. Not my intent.

[visualops]

Santa's Prayer on Christmas Eve

The sleigh was all packed, the reindeer were fed,
But Santa still knelt by the side of the bed.

"Dear Father," he prayed "Be with me tonight.
There's much work to do and my schedule is tight.

I must jump in my sleigh and streak through the sky,
Knowing full well that a reindeer can't fly.

I will visit each household before the first light,
I'll cover the world and all in one night.

With sleighbells a-ringing, I'll land on each roof,
Amid the soft clatter of each little hoof.

To get in the house is the difficult part,
So I'll slide down the chimney of each child's heart.

My sack will hold toys to grant all their wishes.
The supply will be endless like the loaves and the fishes.

I will fill all the stockings and not leave a track.
I'll eat every cookie that is left for my snack.

I can do all these things Lord, only through You,
I just need your blessing, then it's easy to do.

All this is to honor the birth of the One,
That was sent to redeem us, Your most Holy Son.

So to all of my friends, 'lest Your glory I rob,
Please Lord, remind them who gave me this job."

By Warren D. Jennings


 

[Gone_Postal]

Why Christians should NOT celebrate Christmas. Every year at this time, I get inundated with emails that read like 40 page doctrinal dissertations on why a Christian should NOT celebrate Christmas. They make very good arguments about the pagan celebrations at this time of year, the evils of the Christmas tree, lying to children about Santa Claus, how Jesus was not born on December 25th, and many other reasons why a Christian should not celebrate Christmas. To those people I have only one thing to say....BAH HUMBUG!

Please, don't send me emails why those who celebrate Christmas are following the devil. If you are led to not celebrate the birth of our Lord and want to miss that is up to you. Sadly, your misguided legalism has stolen your joy.

Listen, everyone understands that Jesus was not born on December 25th, but according to most scholars, sometime in September. I have yet to meet anyone that worshipped their Christmas tree, only decorated it. If you are old enough to be able to read this, you are old enough to know that there is no Santa Claus. And yes, there are many pagan celebrations that occur at this time of the year, and the Bible does not have the word Christmas in it. However, there is only ONE REASON that we celebrate Christmas and that is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Christians SHOULD celebrate the birth of Jesus! It is right and good that we take time each year to remember that blessed event. It was foretold by the prophets of old. It is a well documented historical event chronicled in the Gospels and supported by the historians of that day. After His death and resurrection, it is easily the GREATEST EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY!

Think about it. God Himself, the Creator of the heavens and earth, came to this earth as a mere man to live with His creation. He came as a baby, born of a virgin in a humble manger in an obscure little town. He would grow up to die on a cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Three days after His death, God would raise Him from the dead as a sign to this lost and unbelieving world that He was exactly who He claimed to be...the SON OF GOD! His life would literally transform the lives of every man, woman, and child for the rest of human history!!!

THAT is why we celebrate Christmas. THAT is why as Christians, we SHOULD celebrate Christmas!!!

I realize that people who say not to celebrate Christmas mean well, and are trying to live their lives in a way pleasing and acceptable to God. Sadly, they are missing the great joy of this time of year. I know they are well intentioned and many of the things they point out about Christmas are true, but they have missed the point of Christmas. Christmas is about only one thing, celebrating the birth of Jesus. It is one of those times of the year that we gather with family and friends and share our faith in Christ. That alone is a great reason we should be celebrating Christmas.

Christmas is also VERY BIBLICAL. Luke chapter 2 gives us the account of His birth. That was the very first Christmas. Of course Mary was there, as was Joseph. We also read about several shepherds that God spoke to who were part of that first Christmas. Now, some 2,000 years later, we will set aside time in the coming days to do what they did at that first Christmas...to celebrate the birth Jesus!

I pray today that you will never forget what Christmas is really about, and why we celebrate this holiday. Of course, anything that the world gets involved with becomes perverted. The world has taken this sacred time of the year and turned it into a time of commerce. We must never allow ourselves to get so caught up in the parties, the gifts, the food, and all of the other things associated with the Christmas season to forget what it is about....a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. THAT is what Christmas is really about, and THAT is why as Christians, we SHOULD celebrate this wonderful event!!!

[Diego1618]

Christmas is indeed a tradition and if you feel the need to celebrate it, that's fine. Just don't tell me it is biblical.
(Mark 7:7....They worship me in VAIN because of their traditions!) (Mark 7:13....Word of God nullified by the traditions of MEN.)
We are not instucted by scripture to celebrate the birth of Jesus. God does go out of his way, although, to mention two birthday celebrations in the bible. The first is Genesis 40:20-22 where Pharaoh celebrates his own by hanging his chief baker. The second is Herod's.(Matthew 14:6-10)(Mark 6:21-24). During this celebration John the Baptist is beheaded. Nice celebrations.....here!
While we are talking about John,... there is a good way to disprove a December birthday of Christ by dating the service in the temple by John's father, Zechariah. His Priestly division for serving in the temple each year was the division of Abijah....service consisted of two weeks from mid July to early August. (Luke 1:5) After the time of his service his wife Elizabeth became pregnant with John....the Baptist.(Luke 1:23) Elizabeth was Mary's cousin and 6 months later Mary becomes pregnant....probably .......January????
(Luke 1:26-38) Jesus would have to be born sometime in the
fall. The shepards usually bring their flocks inside for the winter in the Holy Land during the month of October because it gets too cold during December! As I recall the shepards were still in the fields....(Luke 2:8)
I really have no problem with anyone celebrating Christmas, the rebirth of the "Sun" at the winter solstice....also called Saturnalia by the Ancients. The Catholic Church has perpetuated this celebration by attaching it to Christianity
and substituting pagan rituals as Christian.....with no biblical authority! Just know what you are celebrating!
As far as being the greatest event in history, my belief is that the greatest event was his death on the cross. His innocent blood was a sin offering for everyone much as the passover lamb was in the old book.
To those of you that don't care about what I've said here...
Merry Christmas! To all others....Happy Holidays!

[NYer]

Each year the Knights of Columbus supports the "Keep Christ in Christmas" campaign to remind people that Christmas is above all else a holy day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Thanks for the post! Proud member of Council #3394, Columbiettes.

[Rocket1968]

Amen!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Does the Bible use the word Christmas?