Christmas Past?

Over the last few years our society has deemed it "politically incorrect" to display or say anything remotely having a Christian influence. "Merry Christmas" is replaced with "Happy Holidays" out of respect to those with other beliefs. Now, I know there is nothing sinful about saying Happy Holidays, but I don't want to just roll over when a pushy minority is trying to wipe Christ out of society and retailers are afraid to allow their employees to verbalize anything Christian. Our government leaders tell us to support & encourage Eastern & Mid-eastern religions to publicly practice their religion so they will feel accepted and we can learn tolerance, yet the Christianity that this country was founded on must now be hidden. It makes me think that soon it will be illegal to speak of Jesus and carry a Bible in public, possibly a hate crime against those whom it offends. Wouldn't that be right in line with the other Christian influences that society is trying to ban? It has always made me cringe each time I see Christ crossed out of the word Christmas with a big X, and children learning to hold Santa in higher esteem than Jesus. Each year it has become more unsuccessful to find Christmas programing that portrays the real meaning of Christmas. So many people now-a-days think it is child abuse if some parents choose not to lie to their children about Santa Claus, or not make that and a fulfilled wish list the focal point for Christ's birthday. I once overheard one woman say that she wished such parents would have their children taken away. With that becoming a popular opinion it may not be far away from coming to light.
So far we may still display a nativity on our own private property, and most of our pastors may get away with teaching us what God has to say about our lifestyles. But, even in some of our allied countries, to verbalize Bible passages about sin IS a hate crime and Christians are in jail, lose their job and home, leaving their wife and kids to fend for themselves, or have their children raised by others that "will do a better job". It causes me to wonder how fast this will progress in our country.
We depend on the upcoming generations to be equipped to stand strong in their beliefs but it seems so many, by the time they are teens, don't know what they believe or why, so they're open to every popular idea. It's a great responsibility to teach our future adults to be discerning enough to not be swayed by political correctness, to be willing to pay the price for the stands that God expects them to take, and even to focus on the true meaning of Christmas.
I would like to encourage you to greet the people you meet with "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays", have your decorations and cards reflect the real meaning of Christmas, find ways to keep your children's thoughts on the reason for the gift of a Savior, and ask everyone to practice these freedoms as long as we have them. Maybe we can make it more difficult for society to make the reason for Christmas a thing of the past.