Adam I's Christmas Broadcast, 2013
25th December 2013, Province of Primoria
Greetings one and all. Our Imperial Majesty bids the people of this great nation a very merry Christmas. Today one would like to discuss the concept of Christmas in the Empire of Adammia as well as reflect on 2013, the first year of our nation's existence.
In November, the First Amendment to the Supreme Directive which was approved by the population in a public referendum made us an official secular state. For those who do not know, secularisation is the separation of religion from politics. It is the opposite of fundamentalism, which champions the role of religion in politics. Traditionally, Christmas has been a strictly Christian festival, despite having some pagan origins. It of course celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ some 2000 years ago. Therefore, it may be bemusing to some as to why here in Adammia, we are celebrating Christmas as an official holiday, and why the Emperor himself has decided to mark the occasion with this very speech, if we are living in a supposedly secular nation?
The answer, my people, can be found by talking about what Christmas means to a secular state. Increasingly in Western culture, the festival of Christmas has come further and further away from its religious origins – much to the dismay of the fundamentalists. It has become a highly commercial event, generating hundreds of millions for the economies of the West. Furthermore, it is now celebrated by many non-Christians, such as Atheists. The economic benefit aside, the reason for this evolution of Christmas is that it has a set of core ideals that anybody can celebrate no matter what you believe – Peace and good-will among men. The giving of gifts, and a time for the family. These core ideals have opened up Christmas for everybody, including here in Adammia where many of us are not very religious, or indeed in one's case, not at all.
However, a secular nation works both ways: as religion shall not interfere with the state, the state shall not interfere with religion. As such, the Christian population which makes up about half of Adammia will be celebrating for slightly different reasons – those same core ideals we just mentioned, but with the Christian backdrop too. One could argue, in fact, that everybody celebrates Christmas in a different way. It is important to respect people's beliefs no matter how they celebrate Christmas, as this would go against the very ideals of Christmas itself, after all. Peace on Earth may seem difficult to uphold at times, but Christmas is all about overcoming these differences. So spend time with your families today, exchange your gifts, and enjoy the day, no matter who or what you believe in. Remember, a little tip: the best gifts are not material possessions, but experiences. I learnt this in particular this year attending the Insomnia Gaming Festivals 49 and 50, which have quite frankly been some of the best experiences of my life.
Now for a brief look at the year that has gone by. 2013 has been what will probably be the most important year of our history. We have gone from a humble, 1 man micronation in my bedroom in April to a rapidly growing movement, with over a thousand square metres of land and citizens around the globe. We have gone from primitive absolute monarchy to the detailed government system we have today. We have dignitaries in key positions in the Grand Unified Micronational, and our culture of fancy titles and fabulous top hats has made its presence known online. It has been a year of many accomplishments, but we still have a long way to go to reach our goal of being a truly reputable micronation. Once more, ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.