"Keep Christ in CHRISTmas" challenge

Ed. here. We were pleased (and a bit surprised) to see a large number of hits today on "Ben Stein talks about Christmas and God", which we ran just over four years ago. Evidently there are still many people out there who are sick, sore and tired of this "Happy Holidays" nonsense -- all part of the campaign of the secular humanists to remove Christian values from our society.

Just by coincidence, we received a press release from Coralie Graham, editor of the Fatima Crusader magazine. She challenges us to do what we can to keep Christ in CHRISTmas.

For some years now we have faced the tragedy of "those in command" taking God and prayer out of the schools, the communities and anything government-funded (with our tax money). In recent years we have seen that they have the audacity to separate "Christ" from "Christmas".

"CHRISTmas is no longer 'in'", they tell us. And for some, it's actually illegal! Who says so?! It’s time to say "Bah humbug!" to "Happy Holidays"!

What can we do about it? Let us challenge the world to stand up and be counted. Together, we can make a difference. Together, our voice will be heard and heeded.

I have seen a few wonderful people out there promoting CHRISTmas — but they can’t do it alone. In the last couple of years flash mobs have gone into “Happy Holiday” malls to sing CHRISTmas carols. Videos on YouTube got millions of hits. There’s a clue: millions are paying attention. We are not alone!

There are so many ways you can participate in the “Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Challenge”, using whatever means God has given you.

Say "Merry Christmas!" and wish a Happy HOLY Christmas to everyone you meet, regardless of whether they say "Happy Holidays" or not.

When in the malls and stores, pretend you see friends a distance away and shout "Hey, Merry CHRISTmas!" I actually did this and, yes, there were a handful of people who looked for a straight jacket. But more people got the point. Strangers smiled, some actually chuckled and as they passed me, and made a point of saying loudly and clearly, "Merry Christmas!"

Here's another idea: a prize for the Best Home Nativity Scene.

If you belong to a group, or have been blessed with a little extra cash, sponsor a contest with a nice prize — maybe a Nativity Scene - for the most inspirational Nativity Scene outside a home in your community. I did this some years ago and the response was heartwarming. It encouraged more people to publicly proclaim Christ on their property (seeing as it's not allowed on public grounds) and the winning scenes were photographed and put in the local newspaper.

Or you could organize a Keep Christ in CHRISTmas Essay Contest.

Post an ad in the local newspaper, put flyers up in store windows, on telephone poles, in libraries, in laundromats, or wherever, advertising a contest for the best essay on "What I will do to keep Christ in Christmas". If your budget permits, you could have prizes for different age groups.

Seek permission from your local school boards [Good luck with that! Ed.] and invite school children to participate. Get past the obstacle that the schools are "not allowed" to do this by telling them you are only advertising the contest open to those who wish to participate. We did this in our community and even some non-Catholic school teachers had their classes do essays as a project.

Don't be afraid to challenge the commercial stores.

Talk to managers and tell them that there is a growing group of customers who will boycott their store if they don’t stop boycotting CHRISTmas! Tell them you want to see "Merry Christmas" signs and displays, and that you represent the majority, not the minority.

Challenge the cashiers at the checkouts too!

Remember when there wasn't one checkout clerk who didn’t wish you "Merry Christmas"? Now they're told they're not allowed to say that. So they say "Happy Holidays" or just keep silent. You can see they want to express the Christmas sentiment, but know they may be fired if they do. What to do? Say loudly enough so the rest of the lineup can hear, "I know you are forbidden to wish me a Merry Christmas but I do wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Holy New Year!"

These are just a few of the Christmas challenges I have been involved in over the years. Other than contest prizes, you don’t need a lot of money to do these things. But you do need Faith and courage. For some, it’s not easy to speak out, but try it! When you do, the warm feeling you will experience in your heart and soul will be one of the greatest gifts God gives you this Christmas.