'Tis the Season

The true meaning of Christmas is under attack on many fronts.  We all know that Christmas is way too commercialized in the media and retail stores.  We know that kids selfishly only think of what Santa Claus is going to bring them.  We hear regularly about businesses that ban the salutation of “Merry Christmas” for the more politically correct, “Happy Holidays.”  

We hear every year about Christmas trees and nativity scenes trees being removed by the force of law.   We know all this is happening, but there is more.  Now even “good Christians” are taking Christ out of Christmas (and I’m not including Jehovah’s Witnesses).  They claim that Christmas is pagan holiday and that there is no Biblical foundation for celebrating Christ’s birth.  Nevertheless, they fully celebrate Christmas as a purely secular and cultural holiday.

 I declare boldly before one and all that Christmas is indeed the celebration of Christ’s birth.  It has been since its inception a purely Christian holiday.  We know that the baby Jesus was not born on December 25^th.  We know that the date for Christmas was changed by political leaders to coincide with a pagan holiday to help conquer/transition these new cultures into the Christian culture.  We know that many of our Christmas symbols have pagan roots.  All this does not mean Christmas is a pagan holiday.  Christmas and all of its symbols are what you decide to make of them! 

As for me and my house, we choose to have Christ in Christmas.  We choose to make every symbol of Christmas one that reminds us in some meaningful way of our Redeemer.  We choose to view Christmas as a celebration of not just Christ’s birth, but of his perfect example and of his atonement.  “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ…that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (2 Ne. 25:26)  “For why not speak of the Atonement of Christ?” (Jacob 4:12)  

Why not celebrate Christmas?  We don’t need a Biblical mandate to celebrate our Savior’s birth.  The Lord expects us to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause” of our own free will (D&C 58:27) and I for one know that Christmas falls into that category. 

Christmas reminds me of eternal principles and of God’s plan of happiness for me and my family.  In the pre-mortal world, Jehovah, our elder spirit brother had already attained the title of “God.”  Under the direction of the Father, he created the universe and the world upon which we live.  In his love for us, Jehovah condescended below all things by becoming like us, yet even lowlier.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born in a stable among the flies and manure.  He was called “Jesus”, one of the most common and ordinary names of that time in Jerusalem.  Yet Jesus was no ordinary man.  

His father being God the Father and his mother the humble mortal Mary, Jesus the Christ had the ability to die as man, yet power over death as God.  He had the power to overcome all of Satan’s temptations.  He lived the perfect life of service and placed his own will fully on the altar of sacrifice to the Father.  He had the power to suffer infinitely for my sins and for all of yours.  He gave his flesh and blood for us.  He had the power to break the bands of death and he did so once and for all allowing us also to triumph over the mortal grave.  My faith in what Christ did for me personally leads me to desire to serve him better by loving him and my fellow man.  This is what Christmas truly is about! 

Is Christmas really sanctioned by the Lord?  Does He really approve of this holiday?  “Every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.”  “All things which are good cometh of God” (Moroni 7:12-13).  For all of those that choose to make Christ the reason for the season, that give to others because He gave, that walk before the Lord with thankfulness of heart; for those that love “the most wonderful time of the year” because he was called “Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6); for all of you, I am absolutely certain that God will consecrate your celebration for your good.  And to all of you I say with all of my heart Merry Christmas and ¡Feliz Navidad!