Parents can strengthen their
family, community, and nation by teaching the true meaning of Christmas.
Children need to know that there is something more to Christmas than just
getting a lot of presents. Otherwise, they grow up with self-centered attitudes
and the idea that the world owes them whatever they want.
After years of being told that the
United States is not a Christian country and that everyone should say “Happy
Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” the true meaning of Christmas is back
in style. First Lady Melania shows that she is not ashamed to celebrate thebirth of Jesus Christ. When Melania decorated the White House for Christmas,
she placed an antique nativity scene among the colorful trees and other scenes.
The 300-year-old nativity scene first
was a 1967 gift to the White House from philanthropist and collector Mrs.
Charles W. Englehard, a founding member of First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s
committee to restore the aging White House.
Albert J. Menendez, author of Christmas in the White House, wrote that
Mrs. Kennedy’s successor, Lady Bird Johnson, asked Mrs. Englehard to find an
appropriate manger scene for the White House Christmas collection. After
scouring Europe, Englehard found the eighteenth century Neapolitan crèche through
the Christmas Crib Association of Italy. There are 22 wooden figures in the
set, which has a backdrop of wood and terracotta. The figures are ornately
dressed and the Three Wise Men ride horses instead of camels.
Baby Jesus is crowned.
President Donald Trump is not a whit
behind Melania. He spoke at the 96th annual lighting of national
Christmas tree and shared part of the Christmas story. He led the countdown to
the time when the First Lady would flip the switch to light the giant Colorado
blue spruce tree. “Merry Christmas, everybody. We just have to say it all together: Merry, merry Christmas.” He then spoke to the nation and the world to open the Christmas season by recognizing
the true meaning for the celebration.
For Christians, this is a Holy season –
the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Christmas
story begins 2000 years ago with a mother, a father, their baby son, and the
most extraordinary gift of all, the gift of God’s love for all of humanity.
Whatever our beliefs, we know that the
birth of Jesus Christ and the story of this incredible life forever changed the
course of human history. There’s hardly an aspect of our lives today that his
life has not touched: art, music, culture, law, and our respect for the sacred
dignity of every person everywhere in the world.
Each and every year at Christmas time we
recognize that the real spirit of Christmas is not what we have, it’s about who
we are – each one of us is a child of God.
That is the true source of joy this time
of the year.
And that is what we remember at today’s
beautiful ceremony, that we are called to serve one another, to love one
another, and to pursue peace in our hearts and all throughout the world.
Trump is far from being a prophet or
spiritual leader, but he is not afraid to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God
and that Christmas is the celebration of His birth. He is also not afraid to
say “Merry Christmas.” We can follow his example of courage. We can teach the
true meaning of Christmas, wish “Merry Christmas” to our family members,
friends, and neighbors, and we can strengthen our families, communities, and
nations by doing so.
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