Did you know that over 1.9 BILLION Christmas cards are sent each year? Yep, that’s the most of any holiday - not even Valentine ’s Day comes close. And the Bah- Humbug thing to me is that the vast majority of the cards are just.plain.wrong. Especially when it comes to their portrayal of the Reason for the Season!

Now… my heart is not an empty hole, in fact I really don’t have an ounce of Grinchyness in me. But I am concerned about the blatant and misleading perception that the covers of Nativity Christmas cards have created. So if you’ll indulge me for a moment, here is a brief overview of my rant.

• Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus did not have freaky looking halos around their heads • 3 Kings? No Kings - they were, in fact, scholars and astronomers from Persia • But were they at the birth? Nope…they arrived over a year later…at Jesus’ HOUSE! • Ox and Lambs keeping time? Ah, no - you see farm animals don’t have opposable thumbs for drumsticks, plus people don’t give birth with farm animals around. Besides Jesus wasn’t born in a- • Barn… Most likely He was birthed in a cave used for shelter, not a structure hosting a petting zoo. • Little Drummer Boy? Wait, that’s Justin Bieber - right? more >>

Despite what appears to be a rising hostility in the U.S. toward all things “Christmas,” one organization found that Americans still prefer the traditional “Merry Christmas” greeting as opposed to the phrase “Happy Holidays.”

Sixty-four percent of adults believe people should say “Merry Christmas” while 31 percent of believe that the appropriate greeting should be “Happy Holidays,” according to a Knights of Columbus-Marist poll.

The number of people that preferred the use of the traditional Christmas greeting rose by three percent from last year, when 61 percent of those surveyed thought “Merry Christmas” was more appropriate for the season. more >>

The official 2011 Capitol Christmas Tree that stands 63 feet tall includes no visible ornament signifying the Christian holiday or Jesus Christ. Instead, what can be seen is an ornament praising President Obama.

District visitors can linger around the Capitol and enjoy the Sierra White Fir adorned with lights and colorful ornaments. However, if they walk around to the north side of the tree they will see an ornament not about Christ or Saint Nickolas but rather one that reads “I ♥ President Obama.”

CNSNews.com first reported on the story and asked the office of the Architect of the Capitol if any ornaments on the tree have something pertaining to the Christian holiday. The office replied with a statement saying that it “does not have a policy nor any restrictions concerning the themes for the ornaments” that go on the tree.” The office could not say if this year’s tree had ornaments that directly related to Christmas. Also, the office did not say whether or not any other politician or official was displayed on the tree, other than Obama. more >>

A Catholic civil rights group says that the attempt by atheist activists to remove nativity scenes and faith-related symbols from the public square during Christian holidays is proof that they have targeted Christianity.

The Catholic League, considered the denomination’s largest civil rights organization in the U.S., stated on its website that the “War on Christmas” is getting “crazy.”

League President Bill Donohue said that because atheist activists often become most visible in their actions against Christian symbolism during the Christmas and Easter seasons, it “is proof that their real hatred is of all things Christian.” more >>

San Diego’s community service-orientated Rock Church and local volunteers distributed more than 130,000 articles of clothing and 12,000 bags of groceries in addition to making a lot of children happy with presents at the city’s annual Toys for Joy event this past Saturday.

Pastor Miles McPherson, author of Do Something! Make Your Life Count, continues to lead his megachurch on a mission to help better the lives of those living and working in San Diego by hosting the 15th annual event at a local high school.

McPherson was recently quoted as saying, in reference to Christians: “We’re not here to [simply] have a church service, but to be the hope of the world.” more >>

Members of the House of Representatives have been told they are not allowed to wish their constituents “Merry Christmas” or “Happy New Year” via the mail.

The Congressional Franking Commission, which reviews congressional mail to determine if it can be paid for with tax dollars, issued a rule saying that no holiday greetings, including the traditional Christmas greeting, may be stated in official mail.

The commission’s website bluntly declares that “the law prohibits the use of the Frank for any card or message expressing holiday greetings for any traditional holiday for example, Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving.” more >>