This year, 2 billion Christmas cards will be sent from 100 million households in the United States alone. In England, another billion will be mailed. That works out to about 20 cards per household.

Most Bible believers choose cards that express some kind of Christian wishes and usually send them to family and friends, saved and unsaved.

Unlike Halloween, where a tract dropped into a neighbor kid's trick-or-treat bag is likely to get the gospel into an unsaved home, Christmas cards usually go to family and friends that we know are either saved or unsaved. Yet the insertion of a gospel tract into the card can be a gentle reminder to the believer and a tug at the heart of the unsaved. In the past, Chick soul winners have favored tracts like The Present, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Humbug, A Love Story, and Creator or Liar for Christmas use.

Some soul winners do use the opportunity to send greetings to people outside the circle of family and friends so that they can include a gospel message. Those who do, often find ways in addition to mailed greeting cards.

Shopping for Christmas is a prime opportunity to put a gospel tract about Christmas in the hands of clerks and stock people. A smile, a "merry Christmas" greeting and a gift of an attractive little booklet can brighten the day (or eternity) of a harried clerk.

When it comes to Christmas gifts, there are clever ways to include a gospel message. Sunday school teachers can break out a pack of comics like King of Kings and give one to each student. All year the teacher has been relating Bible stories to illustrate various aspects of God's love and grace. "King of Kings" includes most of the Bible stories linked together in a fascinating, illustrated overview. What better way to summarize the year of teaching and they can take it home where you can be sure most of the other family members will read it, too.

Another powerful gospel gift is The Light of the World video. Most families have video libraries, with both good and not so good content. With this gift, you will be adding to the good. Most will be intrigued by the professional quality and in the process, see and hear the gospel message, communicated in a new and gripping way.

For the soul winner, Christmas is more than just another holiday. Like Halloween, it can be a major avenue to get the gospel to unbelievers and remind everyone that "Jesus is the reason for the season."