Why are we so upset about Christmas?

Is this one holiday or two?

I'm sorry but I need to get this off my chest. On December 25th, Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The reality is, however, that the holiday known as Christmas is not exclusively celebrated by Christians. There is a world full of people that enjoy the day as a time to join with family, eat delicious meals, exchange gifts, sing Jingle Bells, watch favorite movies and a host of other activities. And many of them don't really think too much (or even care) about the "religious" aspects of Christmas or, at least, not to the same extent that some Christians do. And this seems to bother many Christians. A lot. It is as if they feel like the "secularists" have hijacked Christmas...like their holiday has been stolen from them.

We hear phrases like "Remember the Reason for the Season" or "Don't take Christ out of Christmas" or "You can't spell Christmas without Christ" or some other "slogan" meant, I guess, to either warn Christians from forgetting why they should be celebrating (really? do we think they will forget?) OR as an attempt to influence non-Christians into becoming followers of Christ by imparting shame on them for their false celebration of "our" holiday. I wonder how that is working out as an evangelizing method.

Some get all out of breath if a store clerk says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. What are we so upset about? Quite frankly, most stores are going to say whatever they think will allow for the maximum amount of sales volume. They would stand on their heads and spit nickels if they thought you would buy another Kindle or Xbox 360 or iPad. Do we really expect them to sing the Hallelujah Chorus? By the way, did you wish anyone a Happy Hanukkah yesterday or wish greetings during Ramadan back in July?

So, for we Christians that celebrate the December 25th holiday the right way, that means we don't really embrace any of that Santa Claus, elves and reindeer stuff because that really has nothing to do with the birth of our Savior. And, of course, we don't put all those lights all over the house and yard because we don't find anything about that in our Bible. I guess it can be justified that what we are really doing is emulating the gift giving of the Magi when we load up our shopping carts with toys, clothes, electronics and wrap them all up in colored paper and bows. And we certainly don't fall victim to any of that gastro-overindulgence because that would not be in keeping with true Christian tradition. But we point at others and say that they are ruining Christmas.

I think all of this is just another example of something larger that is bothering many American Christians. We have become like the child that has a toy that the other kids want to play with but the child clutches tightly to it and shouts, "Mine!" I am an Anglo-Saxon white (I guess that's redundant) Christian American. And for many Americans that share that descriptor, we believe that this country is "mine." We believe that the holiday known as Christmas is "mine." You know what? ...the country isn't mine...it is ours. I think many believe that we are losing "my" country and now think that we have lost "my" Christmas. And we are very concerned and maybe just a a little angry.

So are we suggesting that only followers of Christ should celebrate Christmas? Isn't it true that, from the exterior at least, a Christian's celebration of Christmas probably 98% resembles that of a non-Christian? And isn't it true that what really matters for a Christian with regards to Christmas is a matter of the heart?

"Don't take Christ out of Christmas." Others cannot take Christ out of my Christmas. Only I could do that to myself.