You Can't Take Christ out of Christmas

Editor's Note: Roland S. Martin is on vacation. The following column originally was published in December 2007.

This whole push to remove Christ from the Christmas season has gotten so ridiculous that it's pathetic.

Because of all the politically correct idiots, we are being encouraged to stop saying "merry Christmas" for the more palatable "happy holidays." What the heck are "seasons greetings"? Can someone tell me what season we are greeting folks about? A Christmas tree? Oh, no! It's now a holiday tree. Any Christmas song that even remotely mentions Christ or has a religious undertone is being axed for being overtly religious. And I'm sorry, forget Xmas. Malcolm X? Yes. X replacing Christ? No.

Don't get me wrong; I'm very respectful of other religions. I don't want anyone to be afraid of discussing the Jewish faith when we address Hanukkah. And we shouldn't dismiss Muslims when the annual pilgrimage to Mecca is held during December. In fact, Americans are so ignorant of other faiths that we all can learn from one another.

But this seeming backlash against Christianity is bordering on the absurd, and we should continue to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

I know that may sound strident, but it's true. We spend an inordinate amount of time focused on shopping and buying gifts, but really, what does any of this have to do with the birth of Jesus? We have families all over the nation killing themselves to buy a tree they can't afford, running up their credit to buy toys and other gifts, all in an effort to make someone else happy.

What if families decided to forgo gifts and instead used their shopping days giving back to those in need? What if more of us went into our closets, grabbed old toys and clothes, repackaged them and provided them as gifts to those without? Instead of gorging on food, what if we used some of the dough to feed those who are in need? What if we blew off those gift cards to electronic retailers, signed up with Network for Good and gave people gift cards to their favorite charities?

Sure, I know I sound like a reincarnation of a flower child, but really, do we have to be so crass during the Christmas season?

It's time that we return to traditional values and end this ridiculous charade.

It's important that we take a fuller account of WHY we celebrate Christmas, as opposed to falling for the barrage of ads that tell us what is most important.

Parents, don't be so consumed with the notion that your children will have a terrible Christmas because the tree isn't overflowing with gifts. The true love that you show them is more important than anything else.

America might be the king of capitalism, but secularism must never become so prevalent that our religious traditions are discarded.

Roland S. Martin is an award-winning CNN analyst and the author of the forthcoming book "The First: President Barack Obama's Road to the White House as originally reported by Roland S. Martin." Please visit his Web site at www.RolandSMartin.com. To find out more about Roland S. Martin and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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