CHRISTMAS

Celebrating Jesus in Our Nation’s Capital

By Paul Serrell
Congressional Correspondent

CBN.com – WASHINGTON, D.C. One place where Christmas is still welcome is in our nation's capital. Several of Washington's most important leaders spoke with CBN News about their Christmas memories and what the birth of Jesus means to them.

U.S. House Speaker Rep. Dennis Hastert said, "Well for any American, Christmas means a lot of things. First of all it means the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and it's a very important celebration for so many Americans; for others it's the Hanukah season. It's a special season for them. But I think it's time that all Americans come together. It's a time for family. It's a time for friends. It's a time for peace."

First Lady Laura Bush said, "And certainly the holiday season is the time we especially think of families. I hope that all Americans will really pay attention to their children, put their arms around their children and spend a lot of quality time with them."

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said, "Christmas is the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the single most important event in the history of mankind. It's one that so many people forget about at Christmas time."

Inhofe continued, "You know my wife and I, after 43 years, have 19 kids and grandkids. We're all going to be together at Christmas. And it's a wonderful thing to be able to celebrate the very person who is going to be responsible for our salvation. That's what Christmas is all about."

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao said, "Christmas is a very special time for families, and we need to remember Christ Jesus and his sacrifice to the world. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone."

Sen. Rick Santorum (PA), chair of the Senate Republican Conference, said, "It's a great season of giving, but one of the things that I try to remember to instill in my kids is this is a season to celebrate the birth of our Savior. And we need to focus a lot more time and attention on the understanding that this great gift, this great gift of salvation that we are blessed in having the opportunity to gain the kingdom as a result of the birth of Jesus."

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) said, "Well, Christmas to me before I was a Christian was just a wonderful time of fantasy and family. I was one of those kids who started wringing my hands about Christmas and looking under the tree about the first of December, and so it was a time of great expectation. And regardless of the presents we got those expectations were always fulfilled on Christmas day."

Rep. Chris Cox (CA), Republican House policy chairman, said, "Unfortunately the first Christmas that I remember was when I was four years old. I had fallen down the basement steps and broken my nose, so I had to go to the hospital. And I didn't get back until the day after Christmas. But I'll never forget, as a little boy, the Christmas tree was still up I was very happy to see there were presents still under the tree And not only is Christmas fun for little kids, but when you almost take it away and give it back to them at the end, it's almost unforgettable."

Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) said, "It's a very special season for us as a family to get together to pause and stop and focus on the Christ child and what He means. To us He means the Prince of Peace, he means peace in our hearts."

Jims wife Anne said, "We've Christmas caroled since our children were little babes in arms and we've taken cranberry bread and Happy Birthday Jesus signs along with us and little Christmas tracts. Our hope and our prayer has always been to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, and so we have a saying, Happy Birthday Jesus."

Rep. Cox also said, "As I grew older and began to learn about the true meaning of Christmas. Then of course it became the story as told in Matthew and Luke a savior is born in the town of David and of course for all of us for all of us grownups that is the true meaning of Christmas."

Rep. Pence added, "Now when we think about the gift that the baby Jesus represents to each one of us, that we have a savior who has a birthday, it's an extraordinary thing to think about in our faith. And so for me it's simply added an incomparable present under the tree on Christmas morning."

White House Faith-Based Director Jim Towey concluded, "In this very holy season when we remember the love that's unleashed through littleness and poverty, simplicity, my thoughts are turned to many of our neighbors who are hurting out there, the homeless, the elderly, the shut-ins, maybe people in our families who are longing to be loved and remembered. And wishing everyone out there the happiest and holiest of holidays."

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