Christmas Television Specials ?Do They Really Know the True Meaning of Christmas?

Some sects of the church do not observe Christmas at all. Probably the most well know modern church that refuses to celebrate this holiday is the Jehovah Witnesses. It may surprise many people to learn that most of the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony also banned this holiday. If approached without bias, an honest study of the origins of this holiday might not cancel all your Christmases but you would be certain of one thing, it is a man made mandate and nothing less. The advent is of God but the celebration of it, is of man.

I believe that the birth of Jesus Christ was the most important single event to happen on this old earth since it began. But I can抰 prove to myself or anyone else that Christmas is a God given mandate. I don抰 like the middle of the road stance on anything, I have always thought it is a cowards hiding place. I choose not to fight Christmas but to preach the Christ of Christmas. I abhor all that Christmas has become but I also know that it has a momentum that makes the speed of light look pokey. Suffice it to say that all the peripheral Christmas excesses and nonsense notwithstanding, I am glad for a season where at least some people are considering the birth of the Savior.

I don抰 have an active battle going against Christmas but I cannot help raising at least one question. Where does Hollywood come into the picture? After feeding us sex, violence, crime, witchcraft, debauch and mayhem all year long how do they suddenly qualify for telling us the true meaning of Christmas?

The Christmas specials are like a black hole sucking in every ones attention from November first, to the dropping of the ball on Times Square. The Grinch, Little House on the Prairie, Charlie Brown, The Christmas Shoes, Scrooge and Marley, Robbie the Reindeer, Rudolph the Reindeer, Bambi the Reindeer (whoops), this is some of the specials fare and lest I forget, isn抰 some network still playing John Denver抯 Christmas specials?

Sure, some of them are ok and might be moderately entertaining, but the question still begs to be answered, how does Hollywood presume to tell us the true meaning of Christmas. Perhaps I should say, how do they even know the true meaning of Christmas. Do directors and producers take an October sabbatical to holy places, or secret themselves away and study the bible for a few weeks prior to the season? Not likely.

Almost everyone knows the biblical account of the birth of Christ. If you are one of those who somehow missed it just pick up a bible and read the entire second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Remember you will only be reading the beginning of the story. If I were Paul Harvey I would urge you to take a break after which I would advise you to read 搕he rest of the story.?Jesus also lived a sinless life, preached the words of life, gave up his life and now offers you life. The rest of the story is what the full meaning of Christmas actually is. If taking a verse or passage out of context is truly only a pretext, then all of the meaning of Christmas dribble Hollywood serves up is just a pretext, regardless of how quaint or entertaining it may seem. The story of Christ抯 humble birth is only the beginning and it is not supposed to end with television specials. It must end only with厰the rest of the story.?

Let me end with a 搈eaning of Christmas?thought that was given to me by the late Dr. Eathan Henry of New Orleans, Louisiana, a teacher in The Union Baptist Seminary. He said that 搘e are prone to think of the fullest meaning of Christmas as being a babe in a manger. Even though this is true, and even though the baby was the Christ child and promised Messiah of the scripture it still leaves something to be desired. When we consider that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 1Corinthians 5:19 then the picture is significantly altered. It is not just a babe in a manger but it is匞od in a baby.?

You can抰 get any closer to the true meaning of Christmas than this, and if should you choose to ponder this wonderful truth let me say to you with all sincerity匨erry Christmas.

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What Gramps Really Wants For Christmas!

Trying to find that perfect gift for Grandpa can certainly be a difficult task. Your Gramps has seen it all, tried everything, and is long past the age of following his youthful pursuits. Still, the old man has a life and one that can certainly be enriched by one of the following gift ideas I have listed for you. Go ahead and make an old man happy. Goodness knows he has been grumpy for way too long!

1. Hearing Aid -- That抯 right, Gramps hasn抰 been able to hear much lately and what he does hear he changes around. Give the gift that keeps on hearing and he抣l be very grateful. Opt for the fashionable model that sticks outside of his ear canal and comes in your choice of invigorating colors: rad red, bionic blue, glittery green, or psychedelic orange.

2. Viagra -- Gramma has been looking pretty sad these past few years. Get Gramps the Viagra and let them have their time alone. Plenty of Viagra, if you can afford it!

3. Football Tickets -- Who doesn抰 like football? Okay, Gramma doesn抰. So, why not get Gramps a pair of tickets and you take him to the big game? After going through all that Viagra, Gramma will be glad that you took the frisky fella away from her for awhile. She needs the rest and now looks like she was run over by a reindeer. Just don抰 sit too close to the cheerleaders...

4. The Three Stooges -- Precious little seems to amuse Gramps lately except for slapstick comedy, particularly The Three Stooges. Spring for the entire 26 volume DVD set of the Best of The Three Stooges to keep him entertained all through the winter. Shop eBay for the best prices too!

5. Headers -- Say, what?! Yes, purchase his favorite car parts like a DC Sports header, a K&N cold air intake, a JetChips performance chip, floor mats and cargo liners, etc., for his 1999 Ford F-250. You know that he is planning to give you the truck next year anyway, so why not outfit it the way you want it to look now instead of waiting until later? Your gift to him will soon become your gift to yourself. It underscores what Christmas has become to so many; so, get in that spirit today!

Just remember that it is the thought that counts. The more thoughtless you are, the more transparent you will be perceived. At least you will live up to nobody抯 expectations of you and, therefore, be unable to disappoint anyone.

Somehow I don抰 think that this is what Christmas is really all about... Merry Christmas, Gramps!

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What Your Kid Really Wants For Christmas

The day is long gone that all any kid really wants for Christmas is their two front teeth! Chances are that high on the list will be a new cell phone, a PS2, iPod Nano or one of the many competing MP3 players, a digital camera, or indeed the latest clutch of computer games. The choice of gifts seems to grow each year, with even a three dimensional pool table making an appearance this year! For those whose kids can抰 be pried away from the TV maybe the new OC in a Tin board game may be the answer, or even The Price is Right interactive DVD game?

The sheer range of gift ideas is staggering and tracking them down in the store is a real chore. When you couple this with the truly fickle nature of kid抯 crazes and the ever present peer pressure factor, then trying to select what is right for the kids in your life can be a daunting and expensive process梟evertheless, did you know that you can get online coupons that can help you cut down on the expenses this Christmas?

The one thing you can count on, as the Christmas season progresses is that the retail toys as well as games and electronic stores will increasingly resemble places under siege as hordes of desperate parents wander aimlessly around trying to find the latest 搈ust have?item. To preserve your sanity and temper why not consider what millions of other sensible shoppers now do and take advantage of shopping online? What抯 more, you can take advantage of online coupons and save yourself a hefty amount of cash. That way, from the comfort of your home or during breaks at work, you can have a hassle and stress free shopping experience with the additional benefits of generally being able to buy at lower than typical retail prices because you utilize online coupons. Also, you can benefit from direct delivery. Indeed, you can usually specify delivery to a third party location, which is an ideal method of sending the gift to other family members who are located further away from you.

So whether your kids want to lock themselves away with a hand held Suduko game, their own DVD player or even head outside with a new football, the places to shop with ease is appearing in increasing numbers online. Further, with each place you find online to shop, you will find a growing amount of Internet businesses that accept coupons online. Save yourself the time, trouble and stress of heading for the mall and fire up the pc; a whole world of potential gifts is just a click away along with serious potential savings with coupons. Whether your kids will actually use the gifts beyond Christmas Day is always down to fate and fashion but if you want to give your family a stress free family environment this Christmas, then shopping on the Internet and saving yourself a few bucks with coupons online is the perfect solution.

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