Merry Xmas!

“Christmas is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that is carried in one's heart.”

— Freya Stark

I’ve never been the greatest of scholars. In school my grades were horrible. I couldn't regurgitate dates and information as well as the other students. The things that stuck in my head were the useless little facts that made up, as Paul Harvey used to call it, “The rest of the story”.

I often thought my “claim to fame” would come when I made it to the final round of Jeopardy or some other game show of useless information. Even today the things that fascinate me are the back stories and “extras” from shows on the History Channel, Discovery or some of the other educational based stations.

I particularly like these shows around this time of year. I often am curious how we have come about doing things today the way we do them. CHRISTmas is no different. It really is a very strange and peculiar holiday if you think about it.

It is chock full of unique and strange customs; evergreen trees inside, decorations and ornaments, mistletoe, carols, yule logs, FRUIT CAKE and a whole host of other unique and strange customs. Not to mention, our greetings around the holidays are very strange.

Did you know that for many years people would exclaim Happy CHRISTmas rather than Merry CHRISTmas? Did you know that Xmas, while many think it is an attempt to remove Jesus from the holidays, is not actually a slam on religion, but dates back to the earliest days of the Christian church?

Many today think it is a ploy by a secular society in magazines, newspapers and store advertisements to shorten the word because of ad space or to be sensitive to the non-believers so that they can drive up sales to a larger audience – to all that I say bah humbug, but I do embrace what CHRISTmas and Xmas stand for – inclusion, sharing and love for your fellow man.

According to “Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas” by Ace Collins, “Many of the Gentiles who became the initial followers of Christ were Greek. The Greek for Christ’s name is Xristos (pronounced Christos). While it is well known that a fish was often used as a symbol to denote churches and Christian gathering places during the ancient days of the church, many Greeks also used the letter X (pronounced Chi) as their symbol of faith. This X marked the places where they worshiped. Therefore, the use of the letter X for Christ is one of the oldest traditions of the Christian faith – one of the first concrete symbols that signified the gospel message for people of all races and backgrounds… It also spoke volumes about the nature of Christianity – that all were welcome to become part of the family of God.”

CHRISTmas, whether celebrated as CHRISTmas, Xmas, Hanukah, the Winter Solstice, or the Festivus for the rest of us, is about a time of being with friends and family, sharing, loving, giving and enjoying the company and the compassion of others. I hope your holiday is surrounded by too many friends and family to count. I hope your cup is overflowing and you have a moment this CHRISTmas season to reflect on all the wonderful opportunities you have been afforded this year.

We have so many things to be thankful for in Jones County. Our economy is strong and people are working. People are shopping locally and tourists are frequenting our towns and attractions. Take some time this holiday season to extend some hospitality to a stranger. It may be someone from across the state, or it might even just be your next door neighbor, whoever it may be, let them know of all the great things we have to offer in Jones County. I know you will be glad you did and our community just might grow a little because you did!

From my family to yours and from all of us at the EDA and Chamber, Merry CHRISTmas and have a safe and Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be great for us in Jones County! I can’t wait to get started!

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* This article was originally printed in the Sunday, December 29, 2013 issue
of The Chronicle's"Planting Seeds" column.