When I woke up this morning, I thought this will be my saddest Christmas ever. The meaningless jingles and pious platitudes are in all the muzak and elevator music everywhere I go these days. They are all calculated to make you feel warm and fuzzy and more willing to flash your credit card.

You know the ones I mean:-

• I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas — Bing Crosby, 1942
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — Gene Autry, 1949
• Let It snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! — Frank Sinatra, 1942
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree — Brenda Lee, 1958
• Jingle Bells — Ella Fitzgerald. 1960

The reality is frightening

So the jingles sound vulgar and fake as I turn on the TV and see a planet devastated by

• Climate change — Australian bushfires and melting glaciers
• Inequality — still on the increase in North America, Russia, India, and China
• Injustice — discrimination based on apartheid, ageism, gender, and unfair labor laws
• Poverty- eradication in Africa is becoming a mirage and in Yemen. China and India's poverty levels have improved, though.
• War — 15 countries are at present torn apart by war. Syria and Yemen are the most hideous examples.

Read about our beautiful journey to Syria when there was peace.

• Hatred — Race, sexual orientation are the basis of most hate crimes (highest in 16 years in the US according to the FBI.) Latinos are a prime target.
• Hunger — One in nine people are starving.

A ray of sunshine?

Christmas is normally Christians’ gift to the world- a time for celebrating the birth of the Christ who will save the world. It is a time for peace and goodwill.

Time to disown POTUS who will take great pleasure in wishing everybody (any day now you will see him on TV) a very Merry Christmas.

A man who has broken almost every Christian rule in the book has the nerve to say he represents this fine Christian tradition. He even ran a campaign to preserve the name of Christmas but he cannot lead by example.

It is disheartening and puzzling to discover that 7 in 10 white evangelical Christians still approve of his work as President.

This morning, I began to feel a little more hopeful when Christianity Today (founded by Billy Graham) warned Christians not to support Donald Trump because of his immoral standards in general and more importantly for what was revealed in his impeachment trial.

In fact, they say that Trump should be removed from office.

“Consider how your justification of Mr Trump influences your witness to your Lord and Savior. Consider what an unbelieving world will say if you continue to brush off Mr Trump’s immoral words and behavior in the cause of political expediency. If we don’t reverse course now, will anyone take anything we say about justice and righteousness with any seriousness for decades to come?” Christianity Today editorial.

Stand up and be good

Whatever faith or non-faith we possess, we should be celebrating Christmas for the very precious message it can bring to our hearts. Here are some practical ways we can all bring peace and goodwill:-

• Think before we vote
• Donate to charity
• Reach out to help an elderly or poor neighbor
• Buy goods and donate them to your local food bank

Watch the video here where kids have definitely understood what Christmas is all about

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

I’m feeling a bit better so I would like to wish you all a very

Merry Christmas!