The Holidays

Working in public service, I come in contact with hundreds of strangers every day. In this particular holiday season each year I am inclined to give out a "Merry Christmas" to everyone I meet in a spirit of good cheer.

The responses I receive are varied; as varied as there are people of different beliefs. Mostly, I receive a smile and a cheery, "Merry Christmas!", in return; however, many turn away; some with a grimacing countenance.

It makes me wonder; am I doing the right thing?

My reasoning wanders in the matter. Isn't Christmas a national holiday? Aren't we a Christian nation? Is it fair of me to say Merry Christmas in public in America? What about the Muslim, the Jew, the Hindi, the Witnesses and others?

So, I did a little research on the matter of how Christmas came to be a national holiday in America.

What I found is that Christmas never, legally, became a national holiday. What it did become is a federal day off with pay, and it did this along with several other days of the year found to be important enough to give the day off with pay to federal employees. Here is the text of that original act:

An Act making the first Day of January, the twenty-fifth Day of December, the fourth Day of July, and Thanksgiving Day, Holidays, within the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following days, to wit: The first day of January, commonly called New Year's day, the fourth day of July, the twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas Day, and any day appointed or recommended by the President of the United States as a day of public fast or thanksgiving, shall be holidays within the District of Columbia, and shall, for all purposes of presenting for payment or acceptance of the maturity and protest, and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchange, bank checks and promissory notes or other negotiable or commercial paper, be treated and considered as is the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and all notes, drafts, checks, or other commercial or negotiable paper falling due or maturing on either of said holidays shall be deemed as having matured on the day previous. APPROVED, June 28, 1870 by President Ulysses S. Grant.

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This was declared under a Republican congress and signed by a Republican President.

Further, this act only applied to federal employees; it is not a national mandate, nor does it only give "christians" the day off with pay. It gives everyone the day off with pay. Because of this, the act has Constitutionally stood the test of time and the attacks of special interest groups.

Of course the act has been modified several times since, but December 25th still stands. Speaking of modifications, it was one particular Democrat who tried to change the date of Thanksgiving day solely to add one more shopping week to corporate America - it didn't fly.

Notice, in the act, there is no reference to Christmas.

Because the act did not also extend to the several State and local governments, it was up to each State and local government to recognize on their own if they so chose, December 25th and all other holidays as days off with pay if they had not already done so.

This left me with the question, why December 25th if it is not recognized by my governance as Christmas?

The answer lies in the fact that the vast majority of Americans observed this day in recognition of Jesus Christ's birth as God's gift to the World, and sought this day off from their daily toils, just as did many others around the World. In this only is Christmas a national holiday.

So, why not Hanukkah or Ramadan, or any other day as well?

As it turns out, December 25th is "any other day". It is not Jesus' birthday. It has been "any other day" for most of History, and many of the beliefs of the World held this day or a day near to December 25th as a time of celebration. Most who came to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior simply changed the object of their celebration and desire, keeping the general date as a reminder and an invitation to all men.

The realization of the Reformation and Enlightenment in America is that there is no form of government but self-government that can be of Christ. This is why there is no Jesus Christ in the bodies of America's founding documents. This is why there is no federal, state or local mandate for Christmas even though the U. S. Constitution bears the signing statement:

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth . . .

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Is it right to say Merry Christmas in a public setting in America? You're dang tootin' it's right. Is it wise? You get to be the judge of that.

Christmas! At once Christian, and not so Christian. A time of personal giving, or simply another day off with pay.

Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas everyone. Be of good cheer.

FREEDOM! Keep it if you can.

Terry said:

Aren't we a Christian nation? Is it fair of me to say Merry Christmas in public in America? What about the Muslim, the Jew, the Hindi, the Witnesses and others?

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Terry,

Thank you for the research and that information. It is very interesting to note. While I agree with your conclusion and I never hesitate to wish anyone and everyone a "Merry Christmas", I would like to comment on one question you asked. "Aren't we a Christian Nation?"

While it may be true that there are more "Christians" in our country that any other religious group, and that may have always been the case since the founding of our Nation, I do not believe it is correct to say that we are a "Christian Nation".

This Nation was founded by men, who for the most part, had very deep personal convictions about their religious beliefs. While most of them could be classified as Christians, they had a wide variety of differing views of what that meant and how they thought that should affect their lives. One thing that they were able to agree on was the fact that the Government of this great country should not get involved with or try to control what any man believed or how he chose to observe his personal religious beliefs. At that time in history many governments attempted to control the people though State sponsored Religions. What they wanted and fought and bled for was "Religious Freedom". They wanted people to be free to choose for themselves and to exercise their religious beliefs based on their own conscience.

The first amendment says. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...;". While this country was not founded as a Christian Nation, it was founded by men who were for the most part Christians and who felt that "Religious Freedom" was of the utmost importance. I am sure they wanted us to be able to say a prayer (if that is how we feel we should exercise our religious beliefs) or to wish someone "Merry Christmas". If someone doesn't believe in Christmas, that's OK, they aren't being forced to believe or participate in anything. I think it is high time we got back to "Live and let Live" and quit becoming entangled in all the crazy things we do in the name of political correctness. Enough Said!!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Very well thought out and "insightful" post, Doug!:first::yo:

Merry Christmas everyone.

I was brought up as a Christian by my parents but I am not a religous person.

I currently live and work in Malaysia where I am surrounded by Muslim, Buddist and Hindu staff.

They all wish each other a Merry Christmas and like to spend the day at home with their familes.

I have been listening to Xmas music in the airport for 2 months and hearing ppl wish me a Merry Christmas for at least a week. I fully understand why some do not respond in a happy way when you hear it for the xxxthousanth time.

Merry Christmas everyone

TMI just be sincere and kind to one another. If that means saying Merry Christmas then thats whats appropriate.

99% of the time, "Merry Christmas" is a wish for good fortune, good tidings & happiness regardless of the recipient's beliefs. I think that very few people are proseletyzing when they say it.

Merry Christmas!