Isn’t Christmas About Sharing?

A few days ago Rep. Henry E. Brown from SC introduced a bill to “protect the sanctity of Christmas.”

The resolution (H. Res. 952) calls for “the symbols and traditions of Christmas” to be “protected for use by those who celebrate Christmas.”

Strange bill, right? I’m left wondering: Which symbols? Protected from whom?

Are tinsel-covered fir trees somehow being misused by non-Christians? Will the Christmas police be unplugging my holiday lights after discovering that my believething is somewhat wishy washy when it comes to the whole only begotten son business?

I promise you little baby Jesus didn’t wake up in his manger basked in the warm glow of LED lights hung on a fake aluminum spruce. Jesus never smelled gingerbread cookies or ate spiral-sliced ham. Jesus never sat on Santa’s lap. Jesus never sang Jingle Bells.

The “symbols and traditions of Christmas” – at least the ones that most of us associate with Christmas – are almost all secular.

Even the date on which we celebrate Christmas was co-opted from a Pagan holiday. Secular. All of it.

Jesus may be your reason for the season, but that doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the holiday and all of the wonderful, non-religious things it represents and engenders.

Christians didn’t invent charity or family or goodwill or compassion. These things are not the exclusive domain of religious folk. Can’t you just be thankful that everyone’s behavior becomes more Christ-like in the weeks leading up to Christmas? Should it matter if the cause is a fear of eternal damnation or just the ‘holiday spirit’?

Jesus said, “If your brother asks for your shirt, give him your coat, also.” We’re not asking for your shirt – just a couple of stockings to fill with presents for our kids.

Please take a lesson from your savior and try not being so damn selfish. Afterall, it’s almost Christmas.