The moment I hear Bing Crosby start to sing the classic Christmas song “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” I can’t help but think about the deep connection between America’s favorite holiday and the great American institution of the family. But why is it that so much of our Christmas celebrations seem to revolve around family? It certainly can’t be because every Christmas with family features “snow, mistletoe, and presents on the tree.” Something about family reaches past all the external circumstances and into the very heart of every man, woman, and child.
The answer can be traced all the way back to the very first Christmas ever, when Jesus was born to the virgin Mary as Joseph stood guard over them. If you think about it, it did not have to be that way. Jesus is God, the ruler of the universe. He knew his earthly mother and his adopted earthly father before time began. Yet, our infinite God chose to enter this world in the arms of a loving family. He humbled himself as a mere babe and demonstrated for all how family can help us through hard times. He proved that the love and warmth of family can be felt in a lowly stable as much as in the palace of a king.
That is why we still celebrate Christmas with family today. The bond of family helps develop us into responsible citizens in our formative years and gives us a place of refuge when life gets tough. At Phyllis Schlafly Eagles, we proudly call ourselves a pro-family organization because we believe the family unit is still the best place for men, women, and children to prosper. We want a government that does not hinder the familial bond honored by the newborn Messiah.
Whether or not your Christmas celebration features “snow, mistletoe, and presents on the tree,” it is my prayer that you will be surrounded by the love of family as you remember the night that hope incarnate came to dwell among us. On behalf of myself and the entire staff of Phyllis Schlafly Eagles, merry Christmas and may God bless you in the New Year.
