86R5639 BGU-D
 
  By: Price H.R. No. 2138
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, On December 25, 2020, many Texans will join in
  worship and in fellowship as they celebrate the joyous occasion
  known as Christmas; and
         WHEREAS, Observed by Christians all across the world,
  Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whose
  arrival on earth is heralded as a promise of salvation for
  humankind; after more than two millennia, Christ's example
  continues to serve as a model of generosity and compassion and as a
  guiding presence in the lives of countless people; and
         WHEREAS, Although Christmas has a longstanding history in the
  United States, the breadth of its observance has grown considerably
  since the earliest days of our nation's founding; the Christmas
  tradition familiar to us today arose during the 19th century, and
  most markedly in the years of rapid industrialization following the
  Civil War; at a time of national unrest and uncertainty, a holiday
  reminiscent of a simpler life, suffused by the fundamental spirit
  of peace and goodwill, offered comfort and spoke to the most fervent
  prayers of all Americans; by 1870, the observance of Christmas had
  become so widespread that the day was declared a national holiday;
  and
         WHEREAS, Modern-day Christmas evokes images of families
  gathering by the warmth of the hearth, of city streets adorned with
  lights, of tinsel-strewn trees, and of such confections as
  gingerbread and eggnog; many present-day customs are derived from
  Old World forms of celebration that have been shaped, refined, and
  interwoven with more recent practices, like the exchange of
  presents, to yield a wealth of festivities that are definitively
  American; and
         WHEREAS, Amid the bustle that now attends the holidays, the
  original significance of Christmas nonetheless reveals itself;
  more than any other time of the year, the Christmas season calls
  forth a heightened sense of charity, as individuals share what they
  have to help alleviate the needs of others; the holiday also invites
  celebrants to set aside worldly cares, enjoy the company of loved
  ones, and rejoice in the heartening gift that is faith; and
         WHEREAS, The simple story of a child born in a humble manger
  has endured and inspired generations, and the scriptural lessons of
  redemption, mercy, tolerance, and most of all, love, remain as
  profound and transformative as ever before; as Texans share their
  delight in this most cherished holiday and its many treasured
  traditions, they may take to heart the virtues that define the true
  spirit of Christmas and endeavor to carry them forward in the year
  ahead; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
  Legislature hereby commemorate Christmas Day 2020.