The fragrance of a freshly cut Christmas tree wafts through the air of home; it’s a smell I wait for all year.  The grandchildren help me decorate the tree, this year adorned with vivid red and white lights, creating a wonderful aura throughout the room.  The fireplace mantle is carefully garnished with cherished keepsakes.  Stockings eagerly wait to be stuffed with fun surprises for the family.   We all anticipate Christmas where laughter fills the air and memories are woven into conversations; there is warmth, togetherness, and love.  Outside, our home is trimmed with shimmering lights bravely hung by my husband. The white luminescence announces to the world of a marvelous season, where God personally intervened – He sent His son, for us.

Unfortunately, every year there are people who want to separate Christmas from its historical and spiritual heritage. They want to strip the real meaning of Christmas away and recreate it with something of their own choosing. If we look closer at this, we will see it’s a little hard removing Christmas, out of Christmas.

Christmas.  Let’s point out that the first six letters of the word spell our Savior’s name.

Holiday.  If they are replacing Christmas with the word holiday, just remind them that holiday is derived from the words “holy day,” and it refers to the holiness of the birth of Christ.   So, “happy holidays” really means happy holiday. 

Yuletide.  If they are replacing Christmas with the word yuletide, that’s the old phrase for the twelve days of Christmas, which people in olden times called the Feast of the Nativity.

Seasonal.  If they are replacing Christmas by saying it’s just a seasonal holiday, we’ll tell them how Jesus came in due season and in the fullness of time. 

Santa Claus.  If they are saying Christmas is all about Santa Claus, tell them that Santa Claus, who sails down chimneys and brings children gifts, doesn’t actually exist.  The truth is, he’s a made-up person to increase sales at malls.   Check out the history here.

Gift giving.  If they want to say Christmas is a time of gift giving, tell them that’s fine; however, you can give gifts any day of the year. 

Songs of the Season.  If they say Christmas is all about cold snowy winter songs.  That’s fine for the northern hemisphere, but what about the southern hemisphere where it’s summer?  Perhaps we’ll point the first choir, the one that filled the Bethlehem skies on the night Christ was born.

Hanukkah.  If they celebrate Hanukkah instead, we should talk about Christ as the Light of the World, the personification and fulfillment of the Jewish Menorah that stood in the ancient temple.

Xmas.  Trying to replace Christ with an “X”.   Actually, the “X” is the Greek letter Chi, is the first letter and the symbol of Christ (you might say, it’s like shorthand). 

As you can see, it’s a little hard to get Christ out of Christmas.

The first Christmas an angel appeared one evening to some men who were watching their flocks of sheep. 

“For unto you is born this day a savior, who is Christ the Lord”.   Luke 2:11   

The shepherds were quite aware that the Messiah was coming.   They knew God was coming to earth in human flesh and would be introduced into this world as a baby.

Isaiah made a prophesy 700 years before it occurred.  

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6.

This baby was born for one reason, to grow into a man and take on the sins of the world, past, present, and future.  Jesus chose to freely give his body as the sacrificial lamb.  If we believe in Jesus and what he did on the cross, we will live forever in heaven. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16.

 The message of Christmas is that we are free from bondage of sin and death, we now can live eternally with the one who came to rescue us.

As we approach Christmas, there is a gift with your name on it that isn’t placed under the tree, it is gift that is offered to you every day.  When you accept the gift Jesus offers, there is rejoicing in heaven.

May your Christmas be memorable and full of joy.