A New York City CHRISTmass Tradition

The 2004 NYC Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree between 49th and 50th Street on 5th Avenue -- all 9-tons of this Norway Spruce (from the home of Christine Gabrielibes & Demos Kontos in Suffern, Rockland County, NY) stands 71-foot tall, 40-foot wide and is lit with 30,000 (or five miles) of lights and a 9 1/2-foot diameter Swarovski-designed star adorned by 25,000 crystals.

In another biased attempt to de-Christianize Christmas and redefine our nation's religious heritage, the politically correct NYC "RINO" mayor, Michael Rubens Bloomberg, calls this a "holiday tree". NO, SIR, we don't need any secular modernist Jewish tycoon worth $5 billion to define this Christian religious tradition for us (this NYC one since 1933)! It is in fact our CHRISTmass tree. So hammer instead on the golden statue of Prometheus (the Greek god who according to myth gave fire to humans) which stands in front of it.

Downtown they've put up Christmas lights,

and decked the streets with tinsel bright.

The windows of each store you see

contain at least one "holiday" tree.

In shopping centers everywhere,

Christmas carols fill the air.

And Santa's broad and merry face

is seen in almost every place.

From all these signs, one thing is clear,

Thanksgiving Day was drawing near!

'T'was the night before Christmas
and all through the town
Not a sign of Baby Jesus
was anywhere to be found.

The people
were all busy
with Christmas time chores
Like decorating, and baking,
and shopping in stores.

No one sang "Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santa
dressed-up in bright red.

Mama watched Martha Stewart,
Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour
the presents they'd wrap.

When what from the T.V.
did they suddenly hear?
'Cept an ad.. which told
of a big sale at Sears.

So away to the mall
they all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...
and others with cash!

And, as they made their way home
From their trip to the mall,
Did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.

Their lives were so busy
with their Christmas time things
No time to remember
Christ Jesus, The King.

There were presents to wrap
and cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember
Who died for their sake?

To pray to The Savior...
they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time
to "Shop til they dropped!"

On Wal-mart! On K-mart!
On Target! On Penney's!
On Hallmark! On Zales!
A quick lunch at Denny's.

From the big stores downtown
to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,
and visit them all!

And up on the roof,
there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lights
up on his brand new step ladder.

He hung lights that would flash.
He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once
prayed to Jesus...
Light of the World.

Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!
Christ's Spirit... how merry!
Christ's love... how enormous!
All our burdens... He'll carry!

So instead of being busy,
overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back in Christmas
and enjoy some good nights!

(Rev. Jon Prain,
The Federated Church,
Avon, Illinois)

It is the worst of times. It is the best of times. The Christmas you have depends upon you. May you be blessed to follow the Light and choose the right.

A Christmas Poem

C = is for Credit Cards that make buying a breeze.

H = is for your Headache when your cards are seized.

R = is for Remembering everyone on your list.

I = is for feeling Insulted when your gifts are dissed.

S = is for feeling Stressed when you're on the fly.

T= is for the Truckloads of presents that you buy.

M = is for your Massive debt that soars into the sky.

A= is for the Awful feeling that you've gone astray.

S = is for your Sorrow and the tears you'll shed today.

The True Christmas Poem

C - is for the Christ child lying in a manager.

H - is for the Holy One Who saved us all from danger.

R - is to Remember Him Who died that we may live.

I - is to Inspire us that we may always give.

S - is for joyful Songs and sacred hymns that praise.

T - is to Thank the Lord for showing us the way.

M - is for the Miracles that bless us each day.

A - is for the Almighty Who always puts us first.

S - is for the Shepherd Who guides us on earth.