A Selection of
Holiday Greetings...
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The White House |
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| DEMOCRACY IN ACTION photo |
| "As we gather around this
season, may the warmth and joy of the holidays fill your home." Barack Obama Michelle Obama Malia Sasha Sunny Bo Designed by Chris Hankinson, Hilltop Studios, LLC Paid for by the Democratic National Committee Remarks
of
President
Barack
Obama
and First Lady Michelle Obama
Weekly Address The White House December 25, 2013 THE PRESIDENT: Hello everybody, and happy holidays. THE FIRST LADY: We know how busy this time of year is for everyone, so we’re not going to take much of your time. But we did want to take a moment to wish you all a Merry Christmas, from our family to yours. THE PRESIDENT: This is a season for millions of Americans to be together with family, to continue long-held holiday traditions, and to show our gratitude to those we love. And along the way, some of us might even watch a little basketball or eat some Christmas cookies, too. THE FIRST LADY: Here at the White House, over the past few weeks, we’ve had about 70,000 people from all across the country come visit us and look at our holiday decorations. This year’s theme was “Gather Around: Stories of the Season.” And in every room of the house, we tried to tell a story about who we are as Americans and how we celebrate the holidays together. And we made certain to highlight some of the most powerful stories we know – the stories of our outstanding troops, veterans, and military families and their service and sacrifice for our country. THE PRESIDENT: Our extraordinary men and women in uniform are serving so that the rest of us can enjoy the blessings we cherish during the holidays. But that means many of our troops are far from home and far from family. They’re spending some extra time on the phone with their loved ones back home. Or they’re setting up video chats so they can watch as the presents are opened. So today, we want all of our troops to know that you’re in our thoughts and prayers this holiday season. And here’s the good news: For many of our troops and newest veterans, this might be the first time in years that they’ve been with their families on Christmas. In fact, with the Iraq war over and the transition in Afghanistan, fewer of our men and women in uniform are deployed in harm’s way than at any time in the last decade. THE FIRST LADY: And that’s something we all can be thankful for. And with more and more of our troops back here at home, now it’s our turn to serve – it’s our turn to step up and show our gratitude for the military families who have given us so much. And that’s why Jill Biden and I started our Joining Forces initiative – to rally all Americans to support our military families in ways large and small. And again and again, we have been overwhelmed by the response we’ve gotten as folks from across the country have found new ways to give back to these families through their schools, businesses, and houses of worship. THE PRESIDENT: That’s the same spirit of giving that connects all of us during the holidays. So many people all across the country are helping out at soup kitchens, buying gifts for children in need, or organizing food or clothing drives for their neighbors. For families like ours, that service is a chance to celebrate the birth of Christ and live out what He taught us – to love our neighbors as we would ourselves; to feed the hungry and look after the sick; to be our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper. And for all of us as Americans, regardless of our faith, those are values that can drive us to be better parents and friends, better neighbors and better citizens. THE FIRST LADY: So as we look to the New Year, let’s pledge ourselves to living out those values by reaching out and lifting up those in our communities who could use a hand up. THE PRESIDENT: So Merry Christmas, everyone. And from the two of us, as well as Malia, Sasha, Grandma, Bo… THE FIRST LADY: And Sunny, the newest Obama. THE PRESIDENT: We wish you all a blessed and safe holiday season. THE FIRST LADY: Happy holidays everybody, and God bless. ###
RNC Christmas Message And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11 WASHINGTON – Republican National
Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chairman Sharon Day
share their Christmas message:
“Two millennia have passed since the holy night in Bethlehem, and today we rejoice yet again in the enduring good news of Christmas,” said Chairman Priebus. “We celebrate the humble birth of the Child who changed the world. We give thanks to the Lord who gives us hope. And we rejoice in the Savior whose message is love and peace. “It’s my prayer that the joy of Christmas will fill our hearts and that the peace of Christ will fill our world. To all who are celebrating, I wish a Merry Christmas, blessed by the presence of family and loved ones. “As we give thanks for our many blessings, we cannot forget those enduring hardships this Christmas. There are people hurting—in our neighborhoods, in our country, in our world—from hunger and loneliness, from turmoil and war. God showed his love for all on Christmas; let us show our love for our neighbors.” “A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!” said Co-Chairman Day. “Like the shepherds who came to Bethlehem, we praise God for the good news. And like the wise men who came from the east, we endeavor to humble ourselves in the presence of the Prince of Peace. I hope the joy of Christmas remains with us long into the New Year. "And, as always, may God bless the men and women of our military who are away from their families during this season. We’re thinking and praying for them and their loved ones, and we give thanks for their bravery and their sacrifice.” ###
Former Governor Jeb Bush
 Merry Christmas from our family! #georgepbush pic.twitter.com/d8nYopDCRN I
hope that we all will remember that Christmas is a time of good cheer.
In good spirit let us bring joy into the lives of those around us.
Governor Chris Christie -
Instagram
 It's Christmas morning here at
the Christie house. (That's Patrick
waiting patiently as we open one gift at a time.) From my family to
yours, a very Merry Christmas!
Former
Secretary
of
State
Hillary
Clinton - tweet
Merry XMas & Happy New Year
x
1,002,958. Thinking about the
millions who face challenges everyday. Looking forward to 2014. So much
to do.
Senator Ted Cruz
"Merry Christmas"  2:13 YouTube video
"Hi. I'm Ted Cruz. Merry Christmas. The season of giving is upon us, and it's a joy to see the Christmas spirit come alive in Texas. The Lord commands us to love one another and this is the time of year when we heed his words in countless ways. Simple, powerful acts of charity and fellowship can be found in every one of our communities. In Austin, for example, the Junior League worked to distribute more than 34,000 coats to keep children warm this winter. Vollunteers in Midland have sent more than 2,500 Christmas care packages to troops in Afghanistan. And in Tyler we have a world record holding Salvation Army bell ringer. He rang his bell for 105 hours straight, raising money for the charity. Just imagine if he came to the Senate and filibustered. I was also happy to hear about the KSBJ radio station and the Allliance of Community Assistance Ministries, which has helped 387 families this season, fulfilling more than 2,000 specific requests. Oh, and I laughed out loud when I read about this one. Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, one heck of a football player, recently took 12 children and their brothers and sisters on a wild Toys 'R Us shopping spree. Andre wears the number 80 so he gave the children 80 seconds to rush through the store and grab anything they wanted. What fun that must have been for those kids. The city's Junior Chamber of Commerce recently took one hundred Head Start children Christmas shopping too. You see good will is infectious. That's our great American Christmas tradition, spreading love and good cheer to all. As we do that let us also reflect on the true meaning of the holiday. The birth of Christ and his enduring promise of love, hope and redemption. May your hearts be full of joy this Christmas. God bless you, God bless your families, and God Bless America." Governor Andrew Cuomo - tweet
On behalf of my family, I wish
all NYers a warm holiday season. Merry
Christmas to those who celebrate it and a Happy New Year to all.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
 From my family to yours, wishing you a Merry Christmas & happy holidays! Former Governor Mike Huckabee - facebook post I wish for you and your family, "A Simple Christmas." By "Simple Christmas" I mean that you find a way to get past the anxiety of traffic, crowded stores, dinner guests who arrive late and cause the food to get cold, missed shipments, and sensory overload and have some quiet reflective moments to remember what it's all about. My book "A Simple Christmas" is a compilation of stories of what a true simple Christmas should be, starting with the not so Hollywood-like birth of Jesus. The story of a teenage girl, probably not more than 14 years old, pregnant, unmarried, and going into labor in a town where she didn't know a soul. Accompanied by a teenage boy probably not more than 16 years old, who wasn't the father of the baby, but had agreed to marry the girl. Alone and scared in an unfamiliar place, she is unable to find suitable lodging and was at last accommodated in all that was left, a little cave cut into the stone where animals were kept. Here, in the filth and stench of farm animals, she gave birth. She placed the newborn in the feeding trough where just minutes before animals had been eating. Hardly a "royal" entrance one would expect for one who that very moment was "King of Kings." His entry was simple. Shockingly so in fact. No choirs, just animals being shushed away from their feed trough so as not to disturb a baby who was just born. His birth was like any other in that there was pain and blood. It would be hard to imagine that such a simple event would change the world. That's still how God works. He takes the simple, the unlikely, the scorned, the forgotten, the poor, the fearful, the exasperated and bursts into their world to give hope. He could change the circumstances to give them wealth or great pageantry, but instead He enters the world where they are, not where they want to be. There is no place so low that God won't show up. In fact, it's in just such a place that He does show up. That is the message of the "Simple Christmas." And I hope you and your family find it this year. I hope you let God find YOU this year. Merry Christmas. May it be SIMPLE. And May God Bless Each and Everyone of You! Governor Bobby Jindal
 Dear Friends, May your Christmas sparkle with moments of joy, laughter, and grace; and may the coming year be filled with much faith, hope, and love. -Bobby, Supriya, Selia, Shaan, and Slade --- For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16 Former Governor Gary Johnson
 Here's wishing EVERYONE very Happy Holidays! And remember, Liberty and Freedom are gifts to be cherished and nourished! Governor John Kasich
 "Behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy" -Luke 2:10; Best wishes
for a special Christmas Day. pic.twitter.com/OXZIRStO7r
Governor Martin O'Malley
 Happy Holidays! This season is a time to be thankful for our blessings and give back to the community that connects us. This winter, please share what you can – food, money, or your time – with those who are less fortunate; even small acts of kindness have the ability to lift up our neighbors and provide hope to one another. Let’s also not forget about the men and women who sacrifice so much, including time spent away from their families during this holiday season, to serve and defend our nation. Together, we have made remarkable progress over this past year, and we remain committed to expanding opportunities and protecting Maryland’s middle-class families. As our children rejoice in the spirit of the season, let’s remember the choices that we make today will determine what legacy we leave for them. Enjoy the company of your neighbors and friends, and take pride in all you have done to move our State forward. Katie and I look forward to seeing you and your family at Government House this year. On behalf of my family and Lt. Governor Brown’s family, we wish you a joyous holiday season. Thank you for making Maryland the best place to live. Martin O’Malley, Governor Former Governor Sarah Palin
Friend,
We have so much to be thankful for. I hope you will join me this year in celebrating the ultimate Christmas blessing—Christ.  From our family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year. The Palins Todd, Sarah, Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, Trig, and Tripp and...  GOOD TIDINGS AND GREAT JOY: Protecting the Heart of Christmas (Broadside Books (Nov. 12, 2013) Senator Rand Paul  0:49 YouTube video
"Merry
Christmas from the Paul family"Rand: Happy Holidays. As you gather with your family and friends this season, Kelly and I would like to offer our best wishes to you and your family. Kelly: As families come together this time of year to give thanks and rejoice in the Christmas season, we'd like to send our thanks to the brave men and women serving our country at home and abroad. Rand: We're privileged to live in a country where individual and religious freedoms allow us to celebrate all of our many blessings. We would like to extend our prayers to our nation's troops who are defending these freedoms overseas. Kelly: We also send warm greetings to our fellow Kentuckians and friends across the country. We hope that you and your loved ones come together to celebrate and reflect on the joys of the season. Rand: From our family to yours, Merry Christmas... Kelly: ...and Happy New Year. and... Senate
Twitter
account
A little Christmas humor. pic.twitter.com/Ynsg4E7Kux  Governor Rick Perry
 Senator Marco Rubio - twitter
Happy Birthday Jesus! Merry
#Christmas and Happy New Year
http://bit.ly/1cO0GMa
 0:52 YouTube video
"Merry
Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year from the Rubio Family"[Music] The end of the year holidays is our favorite time of the year. As Christians we remember the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As a family we remember the triumphs and the challenges of the year that's passed, but also the exciting new opportunities of a new year yet to come. And as Americans we remember the brave men and women who serve us in uniform, many of whom will not be with their families this holiday season, but our prayers are with you. So from our family to yours. Sons: Merry Christmas! Daughters: Happy New Year! Rubio and wife: Happy Holidays! and...
 1:05 YouTube video "Marco Rubio les desea una Feliz Navidad" Rep. Paul Ryan  As our family celebrates Christmas and ushers in the New Year, we send to you a special wish for a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year. Former Senator Rick Santorum
 Governor Scott Walker
Wishing you a very Merry
Christmas and a blessed holiday season:
 and...  2:40 YouTube video Governor Scott Walker and Major General Donald Dunbar's Holiday Message to Troops Senator Elizabeth Warren
 Bruce and I wish you a safe, healthy and happy holiday with people you love! pic.twitter.com/pCHRLvVGqz |
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Copyright © 2013 Eric
M. Appleman/Democracy in
Action.
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