2. Goals for this Sermon Series:
1.) NOT to ruin your Christmas Season
2.) NOT to ruin your favorite Christmas songs
3.) Look at the origins and “theology”
of some of these Christmas classics
4.) Try to find some Biblical lessons in them

3. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year With the kids jingle-belling And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer" It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
It's the hap -happiest season of all With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings When friends come to call It's the hap - happiest season of all

4. There'll be parties for hosting Marshmallows for toasting And caroling out in the snow There'll be scary ghost stories And tales of the glories Of Christmases long, long ago It's the most wonderful time of the year There'll be much mistletoeing And hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near It's the most wonderful time of the year

5. Not for everyone, unfortunately.
Is Christmas the happiest time of the Year?
Not for everyone, unfortunately.
From those suffering depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder, the grieving, and those missing loved ones who are far away…the holiday season isn’t always jolly.

7. There is JOY all throughout The Christmas Story, as well.
Mary, Elizabeth & her town rejoiced
The Angelic Choir sings for joy
The Shepherds & Magi rejoiced

8. While it is certainly true that our hearts tend to glow when near our loved ones at Christmas… this need not be the only source of love & joy that we feel during this Christmas season.

9. Luke 24:32 [The disciples] asked each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road
and opened the Scriptures to us?”

10. The mentioning of “scary ghost stories” in the song seems more fit for Halloween than for Christmas, right?
That’s only because our culture has moved away from the Victorian Era tradition in England where telling such tales was a part of Christmas Eve.

11. Their faithful Friend and Servant,
“I have endeavored in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humor with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.”
Their faithful Friend and Servant,
- C.D December, 1843.

12. "You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling. "Tell me why?”

14. There were spiritual beings that were important part of
The Christmas Story:
The Angel Gabriel
The Angelic Choir in Bethlehem
The Holy Spirit

15. Although we have tossed aside the tradition of “ghost stories” at Christmas; Door-to-door caroling, stuffing stockings, decorating trees, and Christmas Cards are all Victorian era traditions that are still cherished by many.
MANY of our holiday traditions find their roots in pagan holiday rituals or worship.

16. The date for Christmas was selected because of its connection with pagan festivals like Yule and Sol Invictus (the birthday of the Unconquered Sun), both of which commemorated the winter solstice or the longest night of the year.
These festivals celebrated the death of light and its subsequent rebirth the following day.

17. Druids brought the hope of a mistletoe kiss
Wiccans enjoyed wreaths, or “decking the halls” with holly
Druids brought the hope of a mistletoe kiss
Besides St. Nicholas…Thor & Odin were also thought to bring gifts to people at night
*** Being aware of this can help us in being mindful of the traditions that we pass on and to keep Christ at the center of Christmas.