Message on the Observance of Christmas, 2000

Warm greetings to everyone celebrating Christmas.

At this joyous season each year, we savor our treasured Christmas traditions: a favorite ornament placed carefully on the tree, candles in the windows, a wreath on the door, family and friends gathered to exchange not only material gifts, but also the gifts of love and laughter. But amidst all these traditions, we remember that the true message of Christmas is in the Child whose birth we celebrate—the living proof of God's mercy and unending love. Christ's message of renewal and reconciliation is as fresh and powerful today as it was on that first Christmas two thousand years ago.

For Americans of many faiths, this is a season of renewal—of light shining through the darkness, of despair transformed to hope. This year, Christmas is celebrated during the same week as Jews celebrate Hanukkah and Muslims celebrate the Eid Al-Fitr—a powerful and moving reminder that followers of the three Abrahamic faiths share fundamental values: a reverence for our Creator, a belief in human dignity, and a conviction that we must love our neighbors as ourselves. By building on these shared values, we can create a future where all God's children live together in peace and understanding.

As Hillary, Chelsea, and I enjoy our last Christmas in the White House, we extend best wishes to all for a wonderful celebration and for peace and happiness in the years to come.

BILL CLINTON