should we demand Christmas?

I signed up for this email service by American Family Association where they like inform you of companies and organizations that are anti-Christian, anti-family, that sort of thing or when Congress is considering bills that could be harmful to family values or whatever. It's usually stuff that's interesting to know, and they'll let you actually email the people in charge so you can feel like you're making a difference. Like a few days ago I got one about how "adult" businesses (like strip clubs, massage parlors, escort services and the like) that were damaged in hurricane Katrina were requesting tax breaks and there was a link to email the congressmen to request that they not grant this money. I got one last week about how a school district in Wisconsin banned the singing of Christmas songs in their school plays but allowed Hannukah and Kwanzaa songs. Mostly lately, though, I've been getting emails from them about stores refusing to use the word "Christmas" in their advertising (most say "season's greetings" or "happy holidays" instead, and Lowe's and Home Depot were calling their Christmas trees "holiday" trees), and there were links to email the stores requesting that they use "Christmas" next year. Some of the stores actually responded favorably, but many ignored them. At first it seemed to me like a really good cause, and I would eagerly fill out the email letters requesting them to stop "banning" Christmas. But then today I got to my mom and dad's to drop Erin off a little early, so I hung out there a while. I happened to pick up a newspaper from a couple days ago that I hadn't read, and there was an editorial article about the "fight against stores who 'ban' Christmas" and the guy who wrote it made some interesting points that made me stop and think. The one point was that in the Bible, Jesus said that His kingdom is in Heaven, not this world, so why should it matter if the world celebrates Him or not? Well, that I'm not so sure if I agree with. Obviously the whole world is not going to proclaim His Name (although it would be wonderful if that could be so!) but I think that as Christians we are supposed to try to reach as many unsaved souls as possible, and what better time to do so than Christmas--a holiday everyone is familiar with, but not for the right Reason. The second point though is what made me think: he said that several times in the Bible Christians are encouraged to be meek, and we're not exactly being meek if we demand our own way and force things upon people. Is that what the AFA is doing with these emails, demanding we get our way? I'm confused about this, and about my own feelings I guess. Where do we draw the line between spreading the Good News and being forcibly un-meek and un-Christlike? Then again, there were times when Christ wasn't very meek either, like when he threw over the tables in the Temple. I know that all the answers we need to live our lives are in the Bible, but sometimes it can be a little unclear about things. And I know that I can talk to Jesus any time I want and that He hears me, but sometimes I wish He could just straight-forward and audibly answer me. It must be so wonderful to be in Heaven and see Him face to face! No, I'm not saying I want to die yet, but when I do there's so much I want to do!!
There's no question though that advertisers during the Christmas season have it all wrong--Ed and I have been muting the commercials because they're so annoying--with their focus on gifts, gifts, gifts. I think the worst are those awful Radio Shack ones where the people sit there and tell their loved ones what they just "have to have" for Christmas, or that terrible one they play on the radio with the girl who talks about her "clueless boyfriend" and how she's just gonna "come right out and let him know I want jewelry this year!" How pathetically tacky!! I can't imagine doing such a thing. I specifically told Ed not to buy me anything expensive for Christmas. He wanted to get me a ring and I told him for Valentine's Day, fine, but not for Christmas. There are just too many people who are in need, and besides I don't like the emphasis to be on gifts. When I was little that's really all Christmas was for me--a day of presents, really the only day out of the year when we usually got what we wanted (thanks to "Santa Claus" in the form of my grandparents) since my parents never had money for toys or nice clothes the rest of the year. It took me a long time to find the real meaning of Christmas, and I don't want to lose it again in the thought of sparkly gifts.
Today was my last final--the semester is officially over (huge sigh of relief)!!! I think I did pretty well on it, and (gasp) there is a chance that I got straight A's! My hardest class was definitely criminology, and since I got an A- in there (a blessing, no doubt) I'm not too concerned about my other classes. And now I have a month before the next semester. A whole month off--what am I going to do??!! Well, I'm sure I'll have no trouble answering that question. It'll just be nice though to have several weeks with no textbooks to read, no tests to study for, and NO research papers to write (the "Hallelujah chorus" is playing in the back of my mind). How nice!
It's only through prayer--lots of it--that I got through this semester though, and did as well as I have. The credit for my grades is NOT my own--it is God's.