Happy Holidays!


Merry Christmas!

For those uncomfortable with that greeting, maybe you prefer... 

Happy Holidays!

Either one works for me.  Why?

When someone says “Merry Christmas”, it’s as if she says,  “I'm celebrating the birth of Christ! I hope that your celebration is merry!”

When someone says “Happy Holidays”, it’s as if he says, “I'm celebrating the Holidays! I hope that your celebration is happy!”

Essentially, I believe these phrases are one and the same. Why?

What’s a holiday? It is a Holy-Day.  A Holy-Day is a Day set apart for Divine (that is, Godly) purposes.

In these Holy Days, we celebrate the first arrival of the Christ – the Son of God.

The plans for this arrival began at the very beginning.  After creating the world, God simply wanted to have a relationship with His creation: with you and with me – with the whole world.  He still does.

And although that plan was interrupted by the rebellion of those created in His image, God sent His Son to fulfill His plan to restore that vision and bring us back.

So, in this season, we set apart these days for Divine purposes, to celebrate and to share that celebration with others.

How can we do that?

We pay special attention to use words and demonstrate attitudes that are intentionally kind to those around us – to those we know and even those we don’t know.

These actions are not only kind, but can even be generous to these same folks. 

Quite simply, the Holidays - Christmas - is the time we demonstrate ourselves as the creation of the One who sent His Son so long ago to save us, to set us apart, as His own.

Therefore, if I am greeted by "Happy Holidays", I'm not offended. Because, in that greeting, the holiness of Christ is affirmed.  Only HE can make this time of year a season of Holy-Days - set apart to celebrate the love of the Father as He gave us His Son, Emmanuel - God With Us!

In this Holy Season, may your Holy Days be Merry, Happy, and Bright!

Happy Holy-Days!
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."Luke 2:28-32

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