Santa-mas

Last year all were greatly pleased with the new “White Christmas” celebration, a plan by which the occasion is a[]real Christ-mas and not a Santa-mas, that being left for the homes. […] The breakdown of our holidays into days of mere worldly diversion is pathetic—e. g.: Fourth of July without patriotism, Thanksgiving day without thanks and Christmas day without Christ. What insults to the Almighty! Let us make it not alone a Santa-mas, but a Christ-mas.

1912 December 20, “Church Notes”, in G. H. Graham, editor, The Nebraska News, volume VIII, number 42, Lincoln, Neb.: The Claflin Publishing Company, →OCLC, page [2], column 3

When I order a salad in a restaurant I let the cook mix in a generous serving of salad dressing. However, some people ask the waitress for the “dressing on the side.” Is that how we are to treat Christ at Christmas? “I’d like a little Jesus, on the side, please!” Let us be polite but persuasive. Be a tender warrior as we fight for what is right. I’m not celebrating “SANTA-mas” this year. I’m celebrating “CHRIST-mas.”

2003 December 19, Ed Brady, “He’s celebrating ‘CHRIST-mas,’ not ‘SANTA-mas’”, in The Boscobel Dial, volume 131, number 52, Boscobel, Wis., published 25 December 2003, →OCLC, page 3, column 2