Various Church officials have backed a call made last week by Senators for locals to put the Christ back into Christmas.

And they offered up suggestions on how Bermudians could begin to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

During the final session of Senate last week, Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Sen. Yvette Swan urged seniors to lead the way back to the real meaning of the holiday season.

"I'm asking seniors to start a movement to put the Christ back into Christmas,'' Sen. Swan said. "To remember what Christmas is all about.'' And her message was echoed by her Senate colleagues.

Sen. Neletha Butterfield said locals should remember what Christmas was all about -- Jesus.

And she urged Bermudians to remember those less fortunate than themselves this holiday.

Sen. Allan Marshall said he wished people could keep the Christmas attitude -- peace, love and goodwill to mankind -- all year around while Sen. Angelita Fox preached a message of love.

Local clergy unanimously agreed with the Senator's sentiments but they pointed out that the lack of true Christmas spirit was not limited to our 21 square mile Island.

Rev. Peter Tink, of Marsden Methodist Church, said the phenomenon was widespread, truly a global problem.

"The world, to some extent, has lost sight,'' Rev. Tink said. "Its not just Bermuda.'' On a positive note he added: "But there are still many who haven't. The churches are still brimming with people.'' Rev. Tink pointed out that Bermuda was a very prosperous colony and that many people just forget that there are those struggling to survive.

"Bermuda is a very affluent society, but a lot of people don't realise it,'' he said. "We forget that there are people who are trying to live on minimum wage, trying to eke out an existence on this beautiful Island, or who are down-and-out. We should try to remember them.'' The Salvation Army's Major Wilson Noble echoed Rev. Tink's comment that the lack of Christ in Christmas was a global occurrence.

"The world has lost the meaning of Christmas,'' Major Noble said. "It has become so commercialised and competitive that you don't have time to think about the real meaning.

"By time Christmas Day arrives people are too tired, from running around, to even think straight -- let alone think about the meaning of Christmas.'' He added that the lost of the true holiday spirit has had an impact on the family unit.

Major Noble said people became stressed during the holidays because they can not afford or do not to have the time to do or get everything they want.

Children ask their parents for things they can not afford and as a result they become frustrated and take it out on the children.

"The little bit of commercialism we should put into Christmas should be for the kids,'' he added. "Instead adults treat the holidays as a time to go off and have fun. They go to parties to celebrate Christmas and drink, leaving the kids with a babysitter.'' And he said people had the misconception that attending Church on Christmas morning made everything alright.

"If you visit most churches on Christmas you will see that most of them are full,'' he said. "But unfortunately they are full with what we call C and E people -- people who only attend church on Christmas and Easter. There are 365 days in the year.'' Major Noble predicted that a return to the old values and Christmas spirit would have a positive affect on society.

"When we get back to it you will see a lot of the social problems decrease.'' Father Bill LaFlamme, of St. Theresa's Cathedral said the key to recapturing the real meaning of Christmas was Christ.

"Once people begin to capture that it is not just Santa, but Christ, you will see the meaning coming back,'' Father LaFlamme said. "They will see that it is not just some figment of a writer's or artist's imagination.'' AME presiding elder Rev. Malcolm Eve suggested some small steps that Bermudians could take to put the Christ back into Christmas.

"One only has to look around and look within one's self and ask what Christmas means to us. If we are honest we will admit that we have let materialism to take over.'' He added: "Because we've been so blessed, we need to remember the meaning of Christmas even more.'' Rev. Eve said that if all the recent disasters and tragedies did not prompt people to remember Christ then they should open the Bible, turn to the Christmas Story and read it.

"Just take some time to reflect on the first Christmas, on Christ coming into this world and why he came,'' he suggested. "Whether you go to Church or if you are at home, seek to draw Him closer.

"And I encourage you to read the (Christmas) story over and over again.'' Malcolm Eve