Controversy, Commercialism and the Battle to Save Christmas

As yet another Thanksgiving passes, almost unnoticed against the looming onset of Christmas, I find myself unable to rest until I add my two cents to the ongoing war over Christmas. While I’m personally a Christian my views may surprise you. So here goes.

Christmas is a hot political issue this year, as it was last year, because not everyone celebrates it. Some people have decided that it could be offensive to someone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas to have to deal with the cacophony of advertisements for ways you can buy the love of your friends and family, or the greetings of overly exuberant well-wishers.

Bahh Humbug! I’m offended by all the mess around this season too and I’m a Christian. Not that I hate Christmas. I just hate what it’s become. I don’t like getting emails from politically active Evangelical Christians trying to telling me which politician, or school official, or chain store, or TV network has decided to puss-out and use “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” Let them be pansies if they want to.

Why are People who won’t say Merry Christmas Pansies?
Because they aren’t worried about offending people. It isn’t because of law suits. Evangelicals would buy any store clean for getting sewed by an atheist over Christmas. And the Jehovah’s Witnesses haven’t celebrated Christmas in years and no body gave a rat’s ass. It’s only been an issue since 9/11/2001. Retailers and school officials are scared of people with bombs who don’t celebrate Christmas. Pansies!

Christmas Past
It also annoys me when Christians say, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” or “we are going to retake Christmas.” I hate to brake it too you but Christ wasn’t born on December 25. Bible history scholars argue about whether our Lord was born in April or September. It’s not rocket science, the sheep had to be out, the taxes were taken, and it was a certain type of holiday season. If the wise men were Zoroastrian astrologers then the stars would have lead them to Bethlehem in April.

So who’s birthday was it? Rah the Egyptian sun god, actually. That’s his traditional birthday. Many accounts lead it all the way back to the cult of Nimrod (of tower of Babel fame).

The reality is that most of our modern “Christian” holidays come from the Roman Catholic Church*, when Emperor Constantine created a new hybrid religion out of Christianity and “Pagan” religions. There is no biblical backing for any of them. Non-Christian historians are well aware of this and regularly make fun of us for it.

The biblical holidays are all Jewish and that won’t work for old Rome, the Jews weren’t trusted any more than the Christians had been. They laid out the calendar based on their existing one, with all the holidays where they had been. They just came out with different reasons for them.

Am I lobbying against Christmas? No, read on.

(*note: one exception is Halloween. That comes from the Celtic New Year celebration. It’s no more evil than Rah’s birthday.)

Christmas Present
Modern Christmas has become a commercial success. We Christians tell ourselves that it’s ok to pick a day and celebrate Christ’s birthday since we don’t really know when it was. Never mind the fact that there is no biblical president for celebrating Christ’s birth. And when was the last time you went to a Christmas celebration and there was a cake sporting 2,000 candles and the frosting inscription, “happy birthday Jesus?”

Modern Christians suffer from two toxic beliefs that are killing Christmas far more then the Happy Holidays controversy. First is the unbiblical belief that there is a secular and a sacred. The second is that God helps those who help themselves.

If you don’t believe me when I say there is no such thing as secular and sacred then open your bible and find me anywhere that says there is. Good luck. Every aspect of a Christian’s life should be sacred. We don’t just have Christ in our hearts on church day. Tithing 10% was for the Jews--we get to give 100%. All our time is God’s. We work for God and if we get a paycheck it’s from God no matter who’s name is on the signature line.

God doesn’t show his favor on those who work really hard and deserve it. He shows His favor to those who need it. That’s the way of heaven--sacrificial giving, forgiving debts, and thanksgiving. Freely giving!

It’s not wrong for a Christian to keep a job or accumulate wealth, but if we look to that wealth to save us from anything, that’s idolatry.

Christmas Future
If we are going to save Christmas we Christians are going to have to set aside the idea that non-Christians want to have a secular holiday based on a sacred holiday that somebody actually just made up.

The non-Christians are going to have to get past being offended if someone puts up a Merry Christmas sign. Everyone is going to have to get over themselves and celebrate what they believe.

There are two solutions to the issue. One is to switch to a neutral Happy Holidays. That lets you get everyone on one sign. Another solution is to have a sign out for Christmas, Chaanica or whatever anyone is celebrating. Personally, I understand Christians saying to a retailer, “you want me to come into your store and buy millions of gifts for a holiday and you won’t acknowledge what it is?” That’s crap.

If Arabs come up with a world-wide holiday where they buy a couple billion dollars in stuff to give to each other I promise I won’t sue you for acknowledging the name of it in your advertising.

Still, Christians are going to have to lighten up. No one objects to Santa Claus. They are threatened by baby Jesus, I guess. We aren’t wining any converts by shaming the pansies that won’t stand up against terrorists. We won’t quit waving the cross around for fear of being blown up but they don’t get that. So don’t shop where they don’t celebrate Christmas. Wear a big, red sweater that says Merry Christmas on it. Go caroling.

The Real Spirit of Christmas
So what am I saying? What does Christmas look like if it’s sacred to some and secular to others?

The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of giving. If you are secular than it’s having a bearded, omniscient being in a red suit keep track of your every move and then give you a reward based on your behavior. If you’re a Christian it’s a benevolent God who’s willing to give His only son to people who don’t deserve it. The common thread is giving.

We should be thinking about Christmas all year long. When we see something that we know someone would love we could buy it and put it away for Christmas. The problem is that the people you buy it for will buy it too. So if you don’t wait till the last minute you’ll probably have to take it back. Then we all rush around at the last minute and its hell, so we are resentful, etc.

When it comes to kids there is no way around putting yourself in debt on stuff they don’t need. With adults we have a couple options. Something you made yourself will always be good even if it’s just a poem. A coupon for a back rub might be appreciates. Or you might take a person out and spend time doing something you both enjoy. The most important thing is to sit down together at a meal and ketch up on things. Don’t just drop presents off. A family tradition is also important. Maybe it’s going to get the tree or caroling. Maybe it’s drinking eggnog and watching a movie.

Real Holidays last for a few weeks. As much as I can’t stand the way Christmas is crowding out Thanksgiving it’s because of the crass commercialism of it. Giving and thanking shouldn’t just be on a couple days. Visit people you don’t get to see much. Drop a line or a card to people. Bake cookies and invite people over for game night. The biggest gifts you can give each other are time, unconditional love and acceptance. The worst is money.