Merry Christmas

Growing up, we went to church on a fairly regular basis. I attended Sunday school, the children’s services, vacation Bible school in the summer, and other church activities. For me, Christmas and Easter have always been religious observances. Before opening any gifts or eating any candy, we read the scriptures relating to each holiday, to remind us what we were really celebrating. There were also the church services, although we didn’t always attend. The church was usually full of what were referred to as C & E Christians, people who only went to church on Christmas and Easter. And Mother’s Day. Not Father’s Day, which is a little telling, but that’s for another time. Anyway, the minister always pulled out his A-game sermon, trying to get some of these occasional visitors into members. I know it worked from time to time, people do tend to feel guilty for only going once in a while. But that’s something between them and God.

There were nativity scenes in city parks and other municipal areas, people said Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays. People spouting “Jesus is the reason for the season” weren’t looked upon as zealots, at least, not the ones who, well, weren’t zealots, and TV specials mentioned the birth of Christ or had some religious flavor to them. But as Christmas has become more and more commercial, TV shows have become more about peace on earth and goodwill toward men, declaiming this as the meaning of Christmas. People from all walks of life, and many religions, will celebrate Christmas this year, not as a celebration of the birth of Christ, but as a celebration of conspicuous consumption and an opportunity to assuage some guilt by donating a couple bucks to the Salvation Army.

I enjoy the decorations and TV specials, the lights and sounds and smells that are associated with Christmas, and I really do appreciate the secular reason for the season, the non-cynical one, the peace and goodwill thing. But it bothers me - no, disturbs me - that there are so many who observe Christmas as a secular holiday, disregarding the true meaning, a mass to honor Christ (Christ Mass). I’m not particularly worried about Christianity going away, that’s as likely as Judaism or Islam disappearing off the face of the earth. It ain’t gonna happen, not any time soon. But the secularization of Christmas, that worries me.

I’ll continue to remember exactly what the day actually means. I will continue to celebrate the birth of Christ. And while it bothers me that others won’t, well, that’s their business. So I’ll say to you, Merry Christmas.