The National "Keep Christ Out Of Xmas" Committee
by Rel Davis

More than 10 years ago, after seeing one too many of those "remember the reason for the season" articles in my local paper, I formed the National Keep Christ Out of X-mas Committee.

Each year since that time I have sent press releases to local papers from the Committee, trying to set the record straight about Yule, Thor-Santa, and the pagan message of the season.

Included with this article is a copy of a press release I have sent out to papers, with another copy of it you can adapt for your own use. If you are reading this article, and you are a pagan, you are hereby appointed "Local Secretary" of the NKCOXC! Make copies locally and send them to your local newspaper.

They won't know what to do about them! And quite often they print them (usually heavily edited).

Have fun!

National Keep Christ Out of Xmas Committee
your address
city, state, zip

For more information: your phone number

The Yuletide holidays aren't the exclusive property of Christians, reminds your name, Local Secretary of the National Keep Christ Out of Xmas Committee.

For thousands of years before the birth of Jesus, people all over the world celebrated the winter solstice in much the same way we do today. Evergreens, candles, gifts, wreaths, holly, mistletoe and the traditional "groaning board" are ancient activities of this season.

Your name and title if applicable says he/she has nothing against Christians celebrating Christmas, "but when they try to claim exclusive rights to the holiday, they are going too far."

"Not only does the Jewish Hanukkah fall around this season, the ancient Roman Saturnalia, the pagan Yule, and new year's festivals all over the world also take place around the solstice.

"This was the ancient festival of the birth of the sun," your last name points out, "when the sun 'stood still' (solstice) before climbing back into the sky again. As such, it was sacred to Apollo, Thor, Christ and other solar deities.

"Jesus could not have been born on December 25," your last name says, "because 'Shepherds watching their sheep by night' would have been in Bethlehem only in the spring. In fact, Christianity celebrated the birth of Jesus in the spring for hundreds of years, finally moving the holiday to December 25 in order to compete with pagan celebrations at that time.

"And long before Santa Claus was identified erroneously with an obscure priest in the South of France (Nicholas)," your last name says, "the masses in northern Europe waited each December 25 for Sinter (or Cinder) Klaus -- the name given to the Good God Thor at Yuletide.

"Thor drove a flying sled pulled by two goats: Gnasher and Dasher. He wore red and white fur-trimmed clothing. He descended the chimney (his ancient altar). And he brought gifts to all children.

"The Yule season has been a sacred period of peace, love and giving for thousands of years," your last name says. "All peoples own the holiday and all traditions should be remembered at this time of year -- not just the mythical stories about the Christ-child."

Anyone interested in learning more about the traditional Yuletide, or in supporting the work of the National Keep Christ Out of Xmas Committee, may send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

Rel Davis, NKCOXC,
P.O. Box 1554,
Hollywood, FL 33022
(or your address)