The 12 days of Christmas have been counted down but I would like to address the topic of the "war on Christmas." Although this is a seemingly "perpetually present" battle, the truth is we began to see the secularization of the Holy season many years ago… In other words the "war on Christmas" is anything but new.
Consider this example; I am a fan of the old TV game show "$25,000 Pyramid." In an episode that was recorded in the early 1980s, the category was "things associated with Christmas" (for anyone unfamiliar with the game- one contestant describes a word to another contestant with a series of clues in order to prompt the person to guess the correct word). Anyhow, the words given for "things associated with Christmas" were mistletoe, Santa, present, carol, December, tinsel… So, a popular game show from over 3 decades ago gives evidence that our culture was already associating a bunch of stuff with Christmas that had nothing to do with Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, our culture is still doing the same thing. In other words, we haven't gained much ground in the "war on Christmas." Sadly, we have lost ground. I can't tell you how many sermons I have heard (over the past 30 Decembers) that talked about Christmas trees, candy canes, stockings, and the like… BUT, let's face it, the path to victory in the "war on Christmas" is to preach the greatest story ever told, not shoehorn Christian truth into folklore and fairy tale.
Lest anyone think I am a week or so late in addressing this issue let me close with these 2 thoughts. First, I propose that the true message of Christmas ought to be an all-day/ every-day, never ending, song and testimony from the mouths of God's children. Let us never cease telling people what we "associate with Christmas." Secondly, on another 30+ year old episode of the "$25,000 Pyramid", the category was "things associated with Easter." The answers were bunny, egg, basket, bonnet, spring, parade, orchid… All I can say is, "Onward Christian soldiers!!!"
