The season has begun.

Happy Thing of the Day: 90% chance of snow tonight!! YAY!

'Tis the season, oh boy.  In about a week, people will be pulling out their Christmas decorations, setting up Christmas tress, Christmas shopping like crazy, oh the joys of the holidays.

In my house we always would do the "remember the reason for the season", which I guess I didn't always agree with, there are other big holidays around Christmas, plus then there is New Year's immediately after, so I was always okay with people saying "happy holidays".  But I always say "merry Christmas".  I say that because it's the holiday I am celebrating.  I'm not going to hide that I am a Christian, and I set up my decorations for a very different reason than you do.

Though calendar wise I do understand that Jesus was actually born probably somewhere around when we celebrate Easter, and Easter should be around Christmas, but regardless, I'm going to celebrate the fact that on "this day" my Lord and Savior was born.  Yes, I am going to put up a nativity set on my make-shift mantle like I do every year.  I'm going to hang Christmas lights because Jesus is the light of the world, so let's light up the world for Christmas.  I'm going to put an Angel on the top of my tree because "the angel said fear not, for I bring you glad tidings of great joy", and a star on my wall because I need to remember to follow that star.  I'm going to BLARE Christmas music around my house and sing "Go Tell It On The Mountain" with all my heart, because Jesus Christ is Born.

I realize people get annoyed by Christmas.  Christmas explodes before Halloween these days in the stores, I have resisted the temptation of buying anything...so far anyway.  I think that everyone gets so caught up in the hustle and bustle that we forget why we put an angel on the tree, why we are opening presents, and why we are celebrating.  Our Savoir has come, Hallelujah! So for the next month I am going to be blogging about Christmas mostly.  Sorry for all of you Grinch's out there, but I want to tackle the "why" behind some of the "Christmas" traditions that have become so secular.  Not that non-Christians can't celebrate around Christmas and put up a tree...but if you are a Christian, why are you doing it, do you even know!? Obviously there may not be a whole month's worth of traditions to post about, but I'm going to post about the ones I celebrate at least!

So please, when someone says "Merry Christmas" greet them with a smile and say whatever you want back, just remember, we are celebrating our Messiah being born, whether you agree with us or not, that's a big deal for us.  I don't care if you believe, I care that you respect the fact that I do, and this is an important and meaningful time of year for me and my fellow believers!