December 7:
The Christmas Greeting
Listen to our daily Advent story beginning December 1.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are a couple of the most popular greetings during the Christmas season. But did you know that each phrase carries its own meaning? Happy Holidays derived from the phrase “Happy Holy Days” which was a greeting used toward those who worshipped God. Eventually, the phrase shifted to “holiday” which means “enjoy this time of year no matter what you’re celebrating.” On the other hand, “Merry Christmas” means “pleasant, happy, or joy” and “the feast or mass of Christ”. Why would we use a word like “Christmas” that reminds us of Jesus’ death to celebrate Jesus’ birthday?
Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
When you greet someone by saying, “Merry Christmas!”, what you’re actually saying is, “I have joy because Jesus is alive in me.”
Take Away:
Think of the places that you can share a “Merry Christmas” greeting with others and share the joy and love of Jesus this Christmas season.
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