Tim Wildmon
AFA president
December 2018 – The Christmas season has always held a special place in the hearts of most Americans. It still does with millions of us, but it’s hard to tell sometimes with all the political correctness sweeping our land. We Christians are told we might offend non-Christians if we talk about Christmas too much.
It’s ironic to watch some of these companies depend on the Christmas gift-giving season to make it into the black, then intentionally avoid any mention of that very holiday that makes their company profitable. I’m glad to say American Family Association has brought attention to this issue, and we have heard from many companies that agree with us and have returned to allowing the word Christmas to be used in their advertising and store promotions.
The Hollywood crowd and liberal elites want to push us into a generic “holiday” celebration. Many people have also succumbed to multiculturalism, which basically contends that all cultures are morally equal, so again to raise Christmas over other religious holidays would offend other cultures. It’s a shame what the politically correct crowd has tried to do with Christmas in our country. Some may say this really doesn’t matter, but it’s all part of the move by the secular left to de-Christianize America.
My growing-up years were in the 1960s and 1970s. There were so many wonderful Christmas specials on television in late November and through December. Andy Williams, Perry Como, Bob Hope, and more.
And then there were the animated specials our family also made it a point to watch every year, including A Charlie Brown Christmas, which started in 1965 and continues on network television today. Through the loveable cartoon characters from the Peanuts cartoon series, the reason for Christmas is presented in the school play when Linus tells Charlie Brown he knows the real reason for Christmas and goes on stage in front of the spotlight and quotes from the Scriptures:
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.’”
Then Linus concludes with the truth: “…And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Kudos to the late Charles Shultz, creator of Peanuts, for making this the main point of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
There is no way a show that quoted that much Bible could ever make it on network television today if it were not already an entrenched and established tradition.
As Christians we need to continue to use the Christmas season to share with the world around us the real reason for the celebration. That’s why AFA promotes our Christmas buttons and wristbands each year. We have distributed millions of these in the last few years.
Keeping the Christmas season alive in our popular culture causes a lot of people to think about the reason for the season. This is a good thing. That’s exactly why so many on the left want to get rid of it.
Let’s keep Christmas in America, and let’s keep Christ in Christmas. 
