However, is it really in the spirit of Christmas to go all “we shall not be moved” in the Wal-Mart parking lot because a toy manufacturer got lazy? Is it Christ-like to berate everybody that looks like the Monopoly guy because the card in the Community Chest says "X-mas Fund Matures: Receive $100?" I don’t think so. Feel free to take your money elsewhere or even write a strongly worded letter, but please don’t make a scene. That never ends well.
Since I feel like all the Xers out there have “Keep Christ in Christmas” covered, allow to me tackle the rest of the word. Now, I have never heard anybody alter the last three letters in the word Christmas, but it seems like the meaning is butchered more often than Everybody Loves Raymond reruns air on TV Land.
Contrary to popular belief, Christmas is not some sort of English-Spanish hybrid that means “more Christ.” In fact, the word originally meant Christ-Mass. For those of you forced to go to Catholic school as a kid, you probably know that mass has a more specific meaning than “Catholic church meeting.”
Actually, the word mass actually refers to an observance of the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Supper. This observance gives believers a time to reflect of the true sacrifice of Christ, focusing on how He broke His body and spilled His blood so that we may be reconciled with our Heavenly Father. While Protestant denominations observe the Lord’s Supper in various ways, most of them do it on a regular basis. However, how often do we associate it with Christmas?
Usually, during this time of year, we view Jesus as a little baby. There is so much joy in the celebration of His birth, it can be hard to picture the rest of His journey on earth. However, without the rest of the story, without the sacrifice, is His birth even worth celebrating? I know it goes against everything you are used to, but during Christmas this year, take some time to reflect on the bread and the cup. Make it a point to remember the sacrifice and ultimately the resurrection that makes our salvation possible. This year, even if you are in maximum X mode, let’s all try a little harder to keep the “mas” in Christmas.