Welcome to the Christmas season, and the annual begathon for your shopping dollars from some of the major chains in the name of the “Season”, without of course using the name of the Lord… or hinting at Christ… or any association with Him or the reason for Christmas. This year many retailers are avoiding or marginalizing the word Christmas in ads as they compete for your shopping dollars. This open competition is what makes free markets great, and is no different than previous years, but what is relatively new and disturbing is the ever lengthening list of retailers that refuse to use the word “Christmas” in their ads and promotional material.
There is a “reason for the season”, a phrase you still see on occasional billboards along the road, and still alive in millions of families throughout the world. The reason is Jesus Christ, and His virgin birth, which was a sign from God as prophesied in the Bible:
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Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
(Isaiah 7:14, KJV) |
God sent His Son as a perfect sacrifice for you, to get to know you, and have a relationship with you. One of the many signs that it was His Son was the virgin birth spoken of in Isaiah, and this is what we celebrate at Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. This Gift from God was the greatest Gift of all. This is the “reason for the season”, and why we remember Christ at Christmas.
Now… if you really want to get into the spirit of Christmas giving, then consider reaching out and helping those that are going through hard times – now more than ever there is a need for help due to the economy. There is probably a Christian homeless shelter or kitchen in a city near you that targets its giving to those that are truly in need. Consider contacting them and sending a Christmas gift that in turn helps others. One of the best ministries in most major cities is the Salvation Army, which has an excellent track record of stewardship. Sadly, a number of large chain stores no longer want Salvation Army donation collections anywhere near their stores (it is not politically correct). Here is a link to Salvation Army if you are looking for a place to donate, and can’t find one of those familiar red kettles nearby:
When it comes to the word “Christmas”, we have some new players in the “banned speech” department this year. Each year, the American Family Association publishes its “naughty and nice” list of stores that are avoiding the use of the word Christmas in advertising and greeting, and apparently specializing in “holiday” gifts. Best Buy in particular has had a bit of controversy lately after heavily advertising for an Islamic holiday during the Thanksgiving Friday sales for Christmas, while avoiding using the word Christmas. If you do shop at any of the big retailers that ban the word Christmas, be sure to give a big smile, and wish them a very Merry Christmas. Some of the employees are not as politically correct as the management, and understand the “reason for the season”…
The table below is from American Family Action, with the link below:
AFA’s list
Blessings,
Job.
American Family Association List of Stores Supporting Christmas | ||
| Companies FOR “Christmas” updated 11-24-09 Amazon.com |
Companies marginalizing “Christmas” |
Companies against “Christmas” Advance Auto Parts |
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This post was written by admin on December 9, 2009
