Date: December 24, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
Summary: In this Christmas greeting, Coolidge spells out the reason for the season. He recounts the virtues, sacrifice, and saving grace of Jesus Christ, and discusses how Christ influences mankind to be more loving and merciful. This, for Coolidge, is the true meaning of Christmas.
(Original document available here)
Every day has been numberless times a birthday. Only a few are widely celebrated, for it is not the event of birth, but what is done in after life, that makes a natal day especially significant. For many generations Christmas has been joyously observed wherever there has been a vestige of Western civilization, because on that day was born one who grew to be the only perfect man and became the Saviour of the world. No other fact, no other influence on human experience has compared with the birth and life of Christ. Down through the ages he has borne the name of Master! He gained that everlasting title not by the use of any material force, but by demonstrating the moral and spiritual power of mankind.
Christmas represents love and mercy. It was ushered in by the star of hope and remains forever consecrated by the sacrifice of the cross. Christmas holds its place in the hearts of men because they know that love is the greatest thing in the world. Christmas is celebrated in its true spirit only by those who make some sacrifice for the benefit of their fellow men.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of John Sullivan III who prepared this document for digital publication.