Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus Christ and the huge sacrifice God made to save mankind from sin. During the annual National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony that was started by President Calvin Coolidge back in 1923, President Donald Trump reminded Americans just what the season is about.
"As president of the United States it's my tremendous honor to finally wish America and the world a very merry Christmas," he said, reported CBN News. "From the earliest days of our nation Americans have known Christmas is a time for prayer and worship, for gratitude and good will, for peace and renewal."
He then counted down from 10 as his wife, First Lady Melania, pushed the button that lit up the national tree with beautiful silver and gold stars.
During the ceremony, there were several musical performances, singing, and dancing. But Trump said that the most important focus should be on God. "For Christians this is a holy season, a celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," he said.
"The Christmas story began 2,000 years ago with a mother, a father, their baby son, and the most extraordinary gift of all – the gift of God's love for all of humanity," he continued. "Whatever our belief, we know that the birth of Jesus Christ and the story of this incredible life forever changed the course of human history. There is hardly an aspect of our life today that his life has not touched – art, music, culture, law, and our respect for the sacred dignity of every person everywhere in the world."
With so much commercialization, people can often associate Christmas with parties and gifts. But Trump encouraged Americans to recognize the real spirit of Christmas - their unique identity in God. "Each one of us is a child of God. That is the true source of joy this time of year,"he stressed. "That is what we remember during today's beautiful ceremony. That we are called to serve one another, to love one another, and to pursue peace in our hearts and all throughout the world."
