So how would you fix Christmas? Maybe “fix” isn’t the word I want. How would you make Christmas into exactly what you want it to be?
Would you make it more religious? More family oriented? Less consumeristic?
Would it be place oriented, like the Jewish feasts in the Bible? Would it be completely separate from the religious realm?
Would there be more gift giving? Less gift giving? More music or less?
Would fruitcake and egg nog have any place?
How would you remake Christmas? We’re talking magic wand here, one-wish genie scenario. What would you do?
Honestly, I haven’t really “felt” Christmas since I was a child. Nowadays it just seems to rush up on me and go past. I tend to think it’s more for the kids than anything. As to how to “fix” it…it seems to be working fine to me.
Tim,
A related question i should’ve asked a post or two back. Someone pointed out to me (i honestly forget who now) something about the Festival of Lights. All the other Jewish Festivals were “authorized” by the law. This one seems to be an innovation.
If (1) there’s no “authority” for Hannukah in the sense that there was for the earlier festivals , yet (2) the festival was accepted and never challenged as a legitimate religious practice, then might this not set a precedent for Christian observance of something like Christmas or Easter?
–guy
(1) Compress the time. Christmas now begins either shortly after Halloween or even before. The magic of Christmas is in the day, not for 6 months! (2) Decommercialize (is that a word?). For me Christmas is about the smells, the lights, the aura of something new being celebrated in the depths of a cold winter. Honestly, although I can remember a few Christmas presents, what is crystal clear in my memory are the times our family shared in quietness, with a fire and the lights of the tree and the music of some carols on the stereo. (3) Revive the mystery. There is so much mystery surrounding the birth of Jesus. Rather than seeking to solve all the problems, we should soak up all the mystery and enjoy it. When? Where? How many magi? It is really all very unimportant – beyond what is explicit in the text. In one of John Denver’s more immortal phrases, “and dark my standing under.” We all understand darkly, and that is what makes this time so precious.
Paul
Guy,
Strictly speaking, Purim isn’t “authorized” either. That is, it comes from the book of Esther, not from the Law. Hanukkah comes from Maccabees, in much the same way.
Of course, Hanukkah never came to be considered on the same level as the main feasts of the Jews. It wouldn’t received a lot of attention today were it not for its proximity to Christmas. Don’t know that anyone plans a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Hanukkah like they do the Passover. Christmas and Easter are more like “major feasts” like Passover and Yom Kippur.
And Hanukkah at least has an explanation as to why its celebrated when it is. Christmas is done on December 25 because it’s done on December 25.
But I don’t see the observance of Christmas as sinful, nor do I feel the need for “authorization” to participate in the celebration. Is that wishy-washy enough?
Grace and peace,
Tim
If it were just me (and my tradition-loving family would not agree at all!), Christmas would be a shared feast … a time to tell the simple Story of the incarnation. There’s just something about family and guests around a table, and sharing food God has provided and the Story of His love for us that can’t be topped.
The rest of it (as currently celebrated) could all be observed as Hogswatch, for all I care!
Tim,
Definitely not accusing you of any wishy-washiness lest i implicate myself in the process. i believe i’ve let go of the old “authority” principle i was taught growing up.
But what i do tend to think is that innovation was less welcome in Judaism than in Christianity. That’s why the Festival of Lights (it’s mentioned in John right?) puzzles me a bit.
Now, i do think i see significant differences between xmas and Lights that would make the previous example i mentioned far less relevantly analogous. But it still seems like a problem for someone who does hold strictly to the “old school” CoC notions of authority.
Tim, am i mistaken in believing the folklore that Dec 25th was meant to subsume an already-present pagan celebration? If it’s true, then the date isn’t entirely arbitrary, is it?
–guy
One think I would change is to have Christians stop insisting (based on a sense of entitlement) on the right to say “Merry Christmas” in public and instead put that energy into acts of justice and mercy, showing more love and hospitality to the growing population of people living in poverty who cannot afford to enjoy many of the other blessings (parties, Christmas dinners, gifts, etc…) that many of us do enjoy during the Christmas season. Based on what Jesus says about letting our light shine before the word, giving to the needy, and keeping our praying/fasting behind closed doors (cf. Matt 5.16; 6.1-18), I believe Jesus is much more concerned that his people do the later than he is with their ability to say “Merry Christmas” or place a nativity scene in a public place.
Besides, maybe if contemporary Christianity was known more for it’s good works rather than it’s argumentative sense of self-entitlement (which is opposite of what Phil 2.5-8 calls us to be) then the public wouldn’t have as big of an objection to our faith.