10 Ways to Honor Christ Publicly This Christmas

1.   Never use the "H" words

2.   Decorate your lawn and home

3.   Send Christmas cards

4.   Share a Christmas meditation

5.   Organize a Public Square Nativity Scene

6.   Plan a Eucharistic adoration

7.   Visit the sick

8.   Prepare yourself

9.   Write Christmas cards to our troops

10. Don’t let secularists purge Christmas from the Public Square

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1. Never use the “H” words:

Never say “Happy Holidays.”  The secular term means nothing and only serves to erase the memory of Christ from Christmas and the Holy Season we celebrate.

Avoid “X-Mas” too.  Wherever you go, wish others Merry Christmas: at the supermarket, on the phone, in emails.  You’ll be surprised.  Many will appreciate your conviction.

Warning: A few may not appreciate it.  Don’t let it bother you.  Say a prayer for them.

2. Decorate your lawn and home: 

Hang beautiful Christmas ornaments from your doors and windows.  Pick up some large poster board and markers at the bookstore and make signs that read, for example, “Just Say Merry Christmas!”  Write with big clear letters.  Tape one sign to your window facing out for everyone to see.  Place another on your door.  Encourage your friends to do the same.

3. Send Christmas cards:

Send a Christmas card with a religious message to your friends. Mention that you will pray for them. You can also send a card to your town mayor or elected representative. Also, look for an opportunity to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about Christmas. Letters receive avid and wide readership. Try it.

4. Share a Christmas meditation:

The message is ready to go. Just download and print this inspiring reflection (To download, you need Adobe Reader, available for free here.)

Click here for: A Christmas Meditation by the Holy Crib

Give the flyer to your friends and family.  Include it in your Christmas cards.  Post it on bulletin boards or wherever people will read it.  Share it far and wide.

OR click here for online Christmas Meditations!

5. Organize a Public Square Nativity Scene:

Set up a Nativity scene in your town square or in a visible public place.  Invite your friends to help.  Be creative.  Sing traditional Christmas carols like Silent Night.  Pray the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary as a group.  Meet for refreshments afterwards.  Talk about the meaning of Christmas.  Keep it simple.

For legal help in case you face opposition, please contact the Alliance Defending Freedom. They are quick and effective free help. Phone: 1-800-TELL-ADF.  Fax: 480-444-0025.  Website: www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org

6. Plan a Eucharistic adoration:

Find an Adoration Chapel near you, ask your friends to join you for a holy hour before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in honor of Christmas. Mark your calendar for a convenient time. Evenings are best. After your holy hour, go out for dinner, or get a good cup of coffee or hot cider and have a discussion about the significance of Christmas.  

7. Visit the sick:

Those suffering in hospitals and nursing homes faintly remember the joy of Christmas. Illness, pain and loneliness overwhelm them.  It is a work of mercy to visit the sick.  You can bring them Christmas cheer.  Your local nursing home likely welcomes visitors.  Take something to give away; for example, Miraculous Medals.  Everyone likes them.  To order Miraculous Medals, call 1-888-317-5571.

8. Prepare yourself:

Advent prepares us to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord worthily.  We should erect a throne in our souls to receive the King of kings.  For that reason, it is an excellent time to make a good Confession before Christmas and make sacrifices.  For example, give up watching TV or surfing the Internet.

9. Write Christmas cards to our troops:

Thank them for their sacrifice and service.  Show them your support.  Wish the troops a blessed Christmas and tell them you will remember them in your prayers or thoughts during Midnight Mass.  Remind them people back home appreciate the military.  Click here to send your Christmas cards to the troops. 

10. Don’t let secularists purge Christmas from the Public Square:

Christmas is vehemently opposed by secularist groups such as the ACLU, Freedom From Religion, and Americans United For Separation of Church and State.  If these pressure groups had their way, nativity scenes, Christian Christmas carols, and religious symbols would be swept from the public square.

So we Catholics should take the initiative and set up Nativity Scenes on public property all across America. The Supreme Court has decided that we have this right.

Matt Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, explains:

“In contrast to a publicly sponsored nativity scene on public property, a privately sponsored nativity scene on public property does not need a secular symbol to be constitutional. For example, some towns allow private citizens to put up signs or displays on public property. In that case, if a church sponsors a nativity scene on public property, there is no requirement that a secular symbol be placed within the context. The requirement of the secular symbol only arises when a nativity scene is sponsored by the government. To avoid any confusion, the privately sponsored nativity scene should probably have a sign acknowledging the private sponsorship.”