Here we go again!

"Is that a Christmas tree or a Holiday tree?" I was asked by a man standing beside the tree we had just displayed in my store for the Christmas season. I said, "It's a Christmas tree!" and then I waited for the response...

My thought was, "Here we go again!" Every year at Christmas time, at least for the last three or four years anyway, people seem to really be consumed by the discussion of what is the correct name for this tree. Those that want to call it a Christmas tree are leaning more towards the name of Christ and simply do not want to have the name of Christ in any way shape or form removed from the Christmas season. Those that want the tree to be called a Holiday tree do not in any way form or fashion want to have anything to do with Christ and so they want the Christmas tree to be called a Holiday tree so they don't have to use the name of Christ in this holiday. So it becomes a battle of political correctness. And the fight begins and the retailers are caught in the middle.

Call it a Christmas tree and you offend someone, yet if you call it a holiday tree you still offend someone. I've never really understood all this craziness about the Christmas Tree. It doesn't stop there however. The same complaints come if we answer our phones Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas.

The issue as I see it this. We as a society just love to fight. And if you are a Christian, well, we can feel good about taking a stand for Christ in something as silly as a Christmas tree. It's safe and all the other Christians are on board so why not join in. "I won't shop this retailer or that retailer if they call their tree a holiday tree rather than a Christmas tree!" This makes us feel like were doing our Godly duty in some way, yet we never open our bibles for quiet time all year long. We rarely pray or even go to church, but here we take a stand to show our Christianity through a Christmas tree?
Or take those that do not want to call it a Christmas tree, they want to change things, they don't believe that they or anyone else should have to call their tree a Christmas tree, so they fight against the ones that do call it a Christmas tree, saying were forcing religion on them in some way.

This year however, I must admit, the customers don't seem to be as silly with this issue as they were last year. So why is that? Is the issue they took a stand on last year not as important this year? I venture to say that maybe, just maybe, it's simply old news! I do believe the media drives much of this and other special interest groups drive the media. So I guess this is all about agenda rather than whether we're really taking Christ out of Christmas when we say Happy Holidays. I've said Happy Holidays many times and never the thought of taking Christ out of Christmas has ever crossed my mind. For me Christmas is many things... It's a holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ, it's a wonderful time of being with family and exchanging gifts, it's a time when little children fantasize about Santa and his reindeer paying them a visit in the middle of the night, it's a special time of great deserts, candy, and food! It's a day off work! It's many things to many people. The truth is, the way we celebrate says a lot about our convictions for this holiday. It's not about saying the words Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, it's not about putting up a Christmas tree or a holiday tree, it's about what you believe in your heart.

As for me... I celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior on Christmas. I praise him and thank him for his love, mercy, and grace. Then as a retailer, a dad, and a grandpa, I celebrate the fun of Christmas with special gifts, good times together with family and friends, and yes even bake a few cookies for Santa then my granddaughter and I will set them out and get all excited about the magic of our wonderful imagination and dreams. (I don't know of one single adult that really believes there is a Santa, I think we grow up and realize that it's all for fun, don't we?) I won't even talk about the Tooth fairy.

Anyway, Like I said before, "Here we go again!"... Tis the Season.

My prayer for you is this... May God bless you and keep you all safe this year during this Holid... Christmas season. My prayer is that you have fun, relax, and trust that if you know the Lord as your Savior, you have eternal life in Christ! Take joy in that and have fun this Christmas! Share the love of Christ with others through acts of kindness rather than arguing over what we call call our Christmas tree this year.

Merry Christmas!

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