Read This, Yule Be Glad You Did

The following are thoughts on Christmas and Hanukkah provided by the writers at the Daily Pamphlet. We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Blessed New Year! I know none of the writers will mind so I would like to dedicate this to the memory of the children of Sandy Hook. May God embrace them and grant their parents peace.

We have reached the point in our fast paced instant gratification society where many have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.  We all get sucked into the commercialized version of Christmas intent on finding that one great gift at a remarkable price.  We have lost sight of the big picture.  Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, but not due to the gifts we buy each other.  For me and my family it is a time to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We lift up our voices in joy and praise to our Father who gave us the most wonderful and precious gift of all and through this blessed child a chance at everlasting life.  – Thomas Crews

WHY THE EVERGREEN?

A symbol is nothing more than an object which represents an idea. Religious symbols have no power of themselves to influence onlookers or devotees. If the object becomes the focus of worship instead of its symbol, then it is a graven image. But symbols in art, culture, and religion have power to teach and move the human spirit because of the substance behind them.

The argument that Christmas Trees come from pagan tradition is moot in my opinion. The symbol’s origin is not important. It is the ideas which it represents that count, then and now. To the Christian mind an evergreen, the stately symmetrical pine that is favored at Christmastime, is symbolic of everlasting life. The needles never turn, as do the leaves of deciduous trees. They are always green, bursting with color and life. The tree is not the object of worship, as in pagan lore, it simply represents the central concept of Christmas, the Salvation and Eternal Life made possible by Jesus Christ.

Christmas symbols, and many religious objects, are powerful visual aids in teaching broad and deep ideas to everyone, the youngest children to the most sagacious scholars. They evoke the deepest feelings of our hearts and the truths that distill upon our minds as we form our identities as Children of God, and apply His wisdom in our lives. The Christmas tree, like Santa Claus, is what we choose to make of it. It may bring peace and security to our minds, and comfort and joy to our children. The power of the Christmas Tree comes from the Christian belief that peace, security, comfort and joy are possible because a Holy Child was born in a stable thousands of years ago.

Merry Christmas 2012 – Marjorie Haun aka ReaganGirl

Hanukkah and Christmas

Today the Prime Minister of Israel issued a special Christmas greeting to Israel’s thriving Christian community and to Christians worldwide. He pointed out that Israel protects Christian holy sites. Visiting Israel at Hanukkah was a special experience for me when I saw a giant golden “Hanukiyah” (menorah, or candle holder) in the lobby of a hotel in Eilat. It took up a whole wall and was a breathtaking sight. As an American Jew, it made me realize what Israel is all about. For American Jews, it is especially important to bear in mind what it says on a dreidel (spinning top) that’s played with at Hanukkah. In America, the Hebrew letters on the dreidel say “A great miracle happened there” (meaning in the Holy Land). In Israel, the letters say “A great miracle happened here.”

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! – Stephanie Sharf

The birth of Jesus of Nazareth, more than 2,000 years ago, is celebrated around the entire world. It is truly amazing that one man could have such a broad impact on all mankind. We don’t celebrate the birth of any other ancient figure like Xerxes, Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar, or for that matter even Mohammed. Christmas is the most widely recognized holiday in the world. But why?

No matter what people say, we are all seeking someone to save us from ourselves and the evils of this world. Not surprisingly, we frequently wander off, individually and collectively, looking for that someone to rescue us, and it doesn’t take long to find a self-promoter with their latest version of “Hope and Change”. But such men are soon exposed for the power-hungry frauds and impostors they truly are, and within a short time they too will be forgotten.

Jesus Christ is celebrated by Christians because he embodies God himself. Emmanuel, means God with us. No other man has ever had those credentials. So, if you are still looking around for a hero to pull you out of whatever your man-made mess of the day happens to be, you might reconsider the most popular and enduring figure ever to walk on this earth. Oh, and unlike all those other would be “saviors”, he doesn’t ask for anything in return; just your trust and your love. Pretty simple really, the way life is supposed to be.

Merry CHRISTmas! – Robert Sewell M.D.

Santa Claus Is Still Coming To Town

We’ll not forget the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT.

While we grieve the slaughter of innocents, this tragic act serves as a reminder of how precious, how fragile, the gift of life is.

Whatever your religious beliefs, let’s not forget to appreciate the Christmas spirit.

Set aside your politics and prejudice, the spirit of Christmas is about giving.  In the spirit of Christmas, we need to turn to those we love, family and friends and give of ourselves.

Not to pontificate, it’s easy for people this time of year to find a reason to be unhappy.  Let’s not forget those less fortunate and find joy in all we have been given.

These lyrics from Santa Claus is Coming to Town come to mind…

You better watch out 
You better not cry
You better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah! Happy Holidays!  And be good for goodness sake! – Alan Wiessner

A Childlike Heart

Christmas is both a deeply spiritual time and a nostalgic time for me. The birth of Jesus is a wondrous truth and profound demonstration of God’s love for us. However, I also find myself lost in remembrances of family Christmas times when I was a child. Everything seemed able to be wished and come true during those times of innocence! The tree, the stockings hung by a fireplace, and, of course, the presents and Santa Claus! Now is one of the times I most miss my mother who sacrificed often each year so her children could have the wonder of a child’s Christmas. So, I wish to extend the very Merriest of Christmases and Happiest of Hanukkahs to all! May you and yours as well have the fondest of spiritual and family memories from this year and make many more in the seasons to come. And may you always hold the magic of those times in a childlike heart. – Daniel Osborn

Some despise Christmas, some dread it, some love it, and some spiritualize it. I love it and spiritualize it. Christmas breaks up mundane routines, prompting me to think about others more than normal. We love looking for struggling families, realizing we’ve maybe helped to make some kids’ Christmas a little brighter! We are pulled away from our iPads, iPods, iPhones, and laptops to spend special time with our families hugging, eating, visiting, and exchanging gifts. We spiritualize Christmas because we believe that “a Child (Jesus Christ) was born to us, and given to us, and the government shall be on His shoulder: His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6).” What a world we could be if the spirit of Christmas was alive every day of the year! – Teri Tippey

When I was a kid, Christmas always meant seeing all of my grandparents.  We moved around a lot because my dad was a public servant(NAVY, then FBI), and we always made it back to Michigan and saw all of my grandparents.  Most of them died while I was still quite young, so Christmas never was the same. My kids get the best of both worlds, Christmas and Hanukkah.  They score way bigger than I ever did where gifts are concerned-but they love the holidays for the movies, the decorations, and the lighting of the Menorah.  What a beautiful time of the year indeed!  Happy New Year everyone! -  Matt Harrison

May the spirit of Christmas and the knowledge of the King of Kings whose birth we celebrate bring you and your family the blessings of this time. Season’s greetings. – W.R. Douglas

The most politically incorrect way I can think of to say Merry Christmas:

Happy Birthday to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from this conservative Jew.
And a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year as Well! – Josh Bernstein