WHY I DON'T LIKE CHRISTMAS

Approaching my seventieth Christmas, I've developed
a distaste for this time of the year, for a number of
reasons.
"Holiday music" is begun to be played much too soon,
as our intercom music began the day before Thanks-
giving! Too much!
People hustle and bustle to get to the places they
"need to shop at", disregarding others on the road,
in the aisles, in checkout lines, etc.
Way too much money is spent on things that the
gift receivers don't really need or want. Why don't
givers give more thought to what they're doing?
Christmas isn't Christmas anymore, at least to
a large extent, as we hear "the experts" say that
we should say "Happy holidays!", or "Season's
greetings!", or some other secular saying.
Many send cards to those that they don't talk
to or see throughout the year, almost as if it
was a social obligation or an expectation.
Children are wrongfully spoiled into expecting
toys and things that they don't really need or
want, just so the giver can feel good about
what they've done.
Why do companies and employees who aren't
"in love with Jesus" take a day or days off of
their normal schedule in a ruse to "celebrate"
what they don't really care about?
And......what does "drinking" (alcohol) have to
do with the Savior's birthday party?
ARE YOU GETTING MY DRIFT?
WHERE IS THE REAL SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS?
Do you go to church? Do you go to church only
at Christmas? Why? God is NOT impressed! You
can't truly believe that you love JESUS if you
pay Him homage only each December!
I WOULD LOVE TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS
AS WE USED TO - MORE SIMPLY, WITH FEWER
PRESENTS, WITH FAMILY ALL AROUND, AND
WITH A REAL FEELING OF GOD'S NEARNESS!!
The secularism of our society has gone too far
in removing the symbols, sincerity, and signi-
ficance of Christmas and true Christianity!
I wish I could love Christmas again.
I wish I could enjoy Christmas again.
I wish we would celebrate Christmas again,
as it was meant to be celebrated.
I wish there was a true spirit of LOVE and a
sense of holiness and awe about the ways we
spend this "HOLY-DAY"!
WE SHOULD BE GIVING GIFTS TO JESUS ON
HIS BIRTHDAY - GIFTS OF OUR HEARTS, OUR
SOULS, OURSELVES - THAT'S WHAT HE TRULY
WANTS AND DESERVES.
How about if you and I start to put the real
meaning into our celebrating again? Are you
with me? Less tinsel, fewer lights, not so many
decorations, smaller trees, no parties - JUST
TURNING OUR ATTENTION TO THE CHRISTCHILD!

Make room in your heart for Jesus! Celebrate Him!

P.S. Here's a suggestion to help make your Christmas
more meaningful: If you could be any character in
the story of the first Christmas, who would you be,
and why?