Yes, Virginia, Christmas is about Jesus

Setting the record straight

Dear Internet,
I am eight years old. Some of my little friends in the media don’t believe that Christmas is about Jesus. Papa says that if you read something on the Internet it’s so. Please tell me the truth. Is Christmas about Jesus?
Virginia

Dear Virginia;
Your little friends in the media are wrong. They have been affected by the cynicism of a cynical age. They refuse to believe that Jesus exists because they cannot see Him. And if they cannot see Him, they declare that no one else sees Him either.

But they have it all backward. Jesus must first be believed to be seen. And once you believe in Him, you can see Him everywhere. This is especially true at Christmas, as people all around the world give gifts to those they love most, or help provide toys for needy children, or spend time with their families on that special day. Alas, how dreary would the holiday be if Jesus was not at the very heart of it. Instead of a time for warmth and joy, it would be a time filled with nothing but stress and guilt and greed and disappointment. In other words, it would be the kind of Christmas that those who can’t see Jesus often have.

Not believe that Christmas is about Jesus? You might as well not believe that birthdays are about celebrating the day we are born. After all, you can blow out candles on a cake any time you want, but without the significance of that special day it has no meaning. And yet that’s how it is with many people on Christmas. They hang stockings and exchange presents and send greeting cards to one another, but without the significance of celebrating the day that Jesus was born, there is no real meaning behind what they’re doing.

I understand why you are confused. There have been many other traditions added to the holiday, like Santa Claus for instance, and your little friends in the media don’t seem to mind him at all. You’re probably wondering why the very people who don’t want you to acknowledge the true existence of the Son of God will go to great lengths to convince their very own children that a mythical make-believe character is actually real. They are greatly offended at the mere sight of a Nativity scene depicting Christ’s birth and demand that such symbols be banned from any public place, yet Santa is welcomed everywhere. If images of Santa Claus were suddenly banned from public places, simply because somebody was offended, do you suppose that they would stand by and allow that to happen?

The people who say your city should not be allowed to put a Christmas tree on the courthouse lawn should read the First Amendment to the Constitution. It clearly states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” That means every American citizen has a right to celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday if they want to. Don’t ever forget that or let anybody intimidate you or try and tell you otherwise.

Yes, Virginia, Christmas is about Jesus. In fact, without Jesus there would be no Christmas. He’s there when the carolers sing "Away in a Manger” and "Joy to the World”. He’s there when parents read to their children about the wise men following the star to Bethlehem. He’s there when you cheerfully wish someone "Merry Christmas” instead of timidly muttering a generic "Happy Holiday.” He’s there when someone does something thoughtful or puts others before himself.

He was there when the angels appeared to the shepherds and delivered His message of peace on earth, good will to men. And rest assured, despite how hard your little friends in the media will try to remove Him, a thousand years from now, even ten times 10,000 years from now He will still be there – at the very heart and soul of this wonderful season.

Merry Christmas, Virginia. May you always see Jesus everywhere.