Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tanya Writes About Merry Christmas


Ah, Christmas. And I mean CHRIST-mas. Oh, I believe in Santa and our kids believed in Santa. As a first-grader, our son wrote a little essay at school that Santa had brought him a glob for Christmas. Meaning of course, his globe of the world.
(And this was at a Christian day school. No one doubted our faith!)

And that jolly old elf with his belly shaking like jelly never impeded or took precedence over our worship of the Christ-child.

And his little son is just as adorable. The grandbaby held up a Magi figurine from the antique creche I inherited from my grandma--the one my grampa ordered from Germany for her at their first Christmas together in 1917. (It goes from mother to daughter, hence will end up in The Bride's house some year)...and said, Wise man.

So when we examined another nativity scene (I collect them), he promptly said, "Baby Jesus" as he pointed to the manger. When I picked up a Magi and asked who, he said, "Big Jesus." (He actually does look like the adult Lord.)

Yes, Jesus is king. He got me through the roughest periods of my life last year, when my hero battled (and beat) cancer. So I want to share with you something sent to us this Christmas by our dear friends Steve and Linda in Tennessee. My hero's known Steve since they were in elementary school; Linda has been close to me since high school. We've all been friends a lo-o-o-o-o-o-ong time even with many miles separating us.

I thought this would be a great way to end the year...and with January 6 being the Feast of the Magi, Epiphany, I'm still in the Christmas frame of mind.

'Twas the month before Christmas, when all through our land
Not a Christian was praying, nor taking a stand.
You see, the PC Police had taken away
The reason for Christmas--no one would say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing
About shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say.
December 25th is just a "holiday."

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it.
CD's from Madonna, an X Box, an I-pod...
Something was changing, something quite odd.

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.
As Targets hung their trees upside down,
At Lowe's the word Christmas was nowhere to be found.

At K Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears
It's the term Season Greetings that touches your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, D-iver-sity
Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen,
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton.
At the top of the Senate there arose such a clatter...
To eliminate Jesus in all public matters.

And we spoke not a word as they took away our faith.
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded,
The reason for the season got stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate "winter break" under your "dream tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully. Choose what you say.
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!


Other religions don't "offend" me nor shake my moods. I've always wondered by a little baby whose message was "peace to all" is so scary to some.

Anyway, blessings to all in 2009...and to all a good night!

2 comments:

Delilah Devlin said...

Thought I'd stop by and welcome you to the workshop! So glad your husband's doing well!!

Tanya Hanson said...

Thanks, Delilah. I've got your website down to visit...things are still so post-holiday hectic. I haven't even done my homework yet. Whew.