Christmas, Holidays and Xmas...

I was talking to a friend today about Christmas... And what we were talking about is where has the reverence for Christmas and Easter gone? I wonder this too... It seems like it is more about what people are going to get and not about Jesus... Sure, we have thousands that are up in arms at this time of the year when some use the word Holidays over Christmas or use X instead of Christ... I will go more into that in a few... But my pet peeve at this time of the year is that people have the give me's... It shouldn't be about who gets the most or has the most amount of money to spend... It shouldn't be about maxing out credit cards to buy the special gift that is better than anyone else's... I would rather have my family and friends pay their bills and provide for their families instead of getting me something I really don't need... If they want to give, give from the heart... Those are the best gifts... I love it when I see something special and I know it would be perfect for that special person...

Then I hate to add this to my blog so parents if you have kids and you still want them to believe in Santa, have them leave the room.... I'm letting the cat or the clause I should say out of the bag... THERE IS NO SANTA... Drives me nuts that more kids know who Santa is over Jesus... Something is wrong with that! It's messed up...

But then, I don't think Jesus would be very happy with how the world celebrates His birth... I can't see Him doing any of the things we do... He would be out there helping, healing and sharing the truth with those around Him... He would put the focus on what is important... I get ticked when I look around and see people who celebrate Christmas and they don't believe in Christ... That tells me it is a money game... Or you get those that say it is all about family... Family is great and it's wonderful to be with family... It drives me crazy when there is loads of gifts under the tree and then they are opened up without looking at the tags to see who gave them to them... Or they don't take into consideration how much time and energy it took to pick out that special gift for that special person... I think we are a spoiled world that's heading down a terrible path... We are full of greed and the give me's... I don't see where Christ is in much of Christmas unless they are using His name to target those who want to spend...

I use to love going to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Services... I don't think our church is going to do one this year... I wonder if I should have a small get together if I rest at my house and we can have our own service... I was thinking about this for about a couple of weeks... Nothing big... Just sing some songs and have someone read the Christmas Story out of Luke and light Candles as we sing Silent Night and then we go on to our families... Then end the evening with Hot Cocoa and light snacks... This is my thought as of right now... Having so much down time, my mind gets going on the things that can be done... But I will see if this happens... I guess it all depends on if I can get someone to help with it...

The Real Meaning: This was taken from a website called The Real Meaning of Holidays... Couldn't argue with this...

But is the holiday season really a time for celebration or stress, or is it more than just a mere season? If you really look at it, the holiday season is not just for celebrations, decorations and gift giving. Christmas is a time for giving the best gift in the whole world and that is love. This powerful and stirring emotion has been pushed so much into the background of the celebration even though this very much is the reason why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. During Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Savior, the one who sacrificed his life because of his love for us. Wouldn''t it be more significant if we learn to live our lives like He did and share our love with others too especially during the holiday seasons? Helping those in need and sharing your love to the unfortunate persons would surely make your holiday more meaningful than ever.

OK... So now a little bit of history... Wikipedia

We have all heard about the war of the words when it comes to Holidays and X mas... I always say CHRISTmas because I don't like the X instead of Christ... If we are celebrating the birth of Christ, shouldn't we put the focus on CHRIST?

Holiday Meaning: In the United States, "Happy Holidays" (along with the similarly generalized "Season's Greetings") has become the most common holiday greeting in the public sphere within the past decade,[citation needed] such as department stores, public schools and greeting cards. Its use is generally confined to the period between United States Thanksgiving and New Year's. Commercial use of the term "Happy Holidays" to replace "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" dates back at least to the 1970s. Use of the term may have originated with the Irving Berlin song "Happy Holidays" (released in 1942 and included in the film Holiday Inn).

In the United States, it can have several variations and meanings:
As "Happy Holiday", an English translation of the Hebrew Hag Sameach greeting on Passover, Sukkot, and Shavuot.
As "Happy Holiday", a substitution for "Merry Christmas".
As "Happy Holidays", a collective and inclusive wish for the period encompassing Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Winter solstice, Christmas Day (The Nativity of the Lord), Boxing Day (St. Stephen's Day), the New Year and Epiphany.
As "Happy Holidays", a shortened form of the greeting "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Xmas Meaning: The greetings and farewells "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Christmas" are traditionally used in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, commencing a few weeks prior to Christmas (December 25) of every year.

The phrase is often preferred when it is known that the receiver is a Christian or celebrates Christmas. The nonreligious often use the greeting as well, however in this case its meaning focuses more on the secular aspects of Christmas, rather than the Nativity of Jesus.

Its meanings and variations are:
As "Merry Christmas," the traditionally used greeting for those from America and the UK, composed of merry (jolly, happy) and Christmas (Old English: Cristes mæsse, for Christ's Mass).
As "Merry Xmas," usually used to avoid the length of "Merry Christmas," with the "X" (sometimes controversially) replacing "Christ." (see Xmas) However, "X" is actually the Greek abbreviation for Christ, although this is not well known.
As "Happy Christmas," an equivalent that is commonly used in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as "Merry Christmas."

As of 2005, "Merry Christmas" remains popular among countries with large Christian populations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, Philippines, and parts of Western Europe not affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox rites.

It also remains popular in the largely non-Christian nations of China and Japan, where Christmas is celebrated primarily due to Western cultural influences. Though it has somewhat decreased in popularity in the United States and Canada over the past decades, polls from 2005 indicate that it remains more popular than "Happy Holidays" or other alternatives.

I know this next statement isn't politically correct... But I'm not a very political person to begin with... SO HERE IT GOES!!!

Merry CHRISTmas to everyone...