Most folks look forward to the holidays. It’s supposed be a festive time for family and friends, but with each passing year there seems to be growing levels of angst, consternation, or even disdain. Pretty much everyone in America celebrates Christmas because it’s a few days off work and even people with little knowledge of the origins of Christmas or even those that reject the whole premise of Christmas still indulge all the gifts and shopping.
People have probably always had to remind themselves each year about the reason for the season. We get busy, distracted, and sometimes overwhelmed, so it’s not unusual that humans need to pause at some point to remember how and why Christmas became the most celebrated holiday in the western world.
In the second half of the Twentieth Century, the biggest challenge for Christmas was “commercialization.” With prosperity growing and spreading, it seemed too many people had become fixated on the gifts. The kids just wanted presents and the stores just wanted the parents to shop. So every Christmas, we would be scolded in church and movies not to be materialistic and remember we are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Since Jesus lay away in a manger, there have always been forces denying and opposing God and His Son, but there has been a distinct shift the past couple decades. Those forces are not just more brazen and prevalent; they have become not just tolerated, but often accepted and even endorsed. Just 30-40 years ago, no government entity would have given serious consideration to complaints about a cross or crèche. Now, it’s not just common; the complaint will prevail. Nativity displays across the nation have been exiled from public squares. There was even an attempt to banish that simple phrase for kids from 1 to 92, “Merry Christmas.”
The anti-Christmas campaign has become ordinary, so it’s barely newsworthy. But each year more towns like Woodland, Washington this year will remove a nativity from some public park. And another Grinch will try to steal Christmas, like the Manchester Elementary Principal in Elkhorn, Nebraska. If even reported, those news items pass the scene faster than snow in Alabama. Americans have become numb to the relentless animosity toward advent such that we now expect regular yuletide assaults. Our outrage is being replaced by embarrassment and sadly resignation.
Christians are being cowed into believing their faith may be offensive to others; that Christianity in the public square may make some people uncomfortable, so we should take all those public professions of faith behind closed doors. Sure, keep the “secular” Christmas tree, the presents, and jolly old elf, but please don’t share anything about the Son of God being born unto us as the greatest gift of all time. Unless, you are trying to make some disjointed point about illegal immigration.
It’s certainly a shame
Christmas is steadily receding with fewer protests fading into fewer whimpers, but the real tragedy is there are fewer and fewer believers. Too many Americans are clueless about the true meaning of Christmas. They either earnestly don’t know or don’t care, so we have growing masses stumbling through the season without a reason.
Despite the atheist attacks, the erosion has been self-induced and quite subtle. Having somewhat learned our lesson not to be materialistic, we repeat something about the “Christmas spirit” as we tear through 30 something gifts Christmas morning. We comfort ourselves binge watching Hallmark movies where someone has always lost the Christmas Spirit in some idyllic village and we joyfully cry as some child, pet, or love interest restores their Christmas Spirit.
We have made all the decorations, gifts, and even the Christmas spirit about us. It’s about us giving and about us having the spirit which is all wonderful, but why must we leave out the source for all the goodness?
Traditional depictions of Christmas spirit are nice, but mankind does not come to love others naturally. We need an example and we have one. Our Creator sent His only begotten Son to be born a man, so that His sacrifice could be the greatest gift of all time. Genuine Christmas spirit can only come from the source of true love.
The world can deride Christmas, but they can’t destroy Christmas. That ultimate gift will shine through eternity whether we embrace it or eschew it. So spread your Christmas cheer, but be sure to share the authentic Christmas story. Real blessings and true love are available to every American. We only need acknowledge that tiny baby born on a silent night, but oh so holy night! Merry Christmas!
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
