Today Christmas is filled with many distractions. Many of the things we do and love so much are nothing but distraction to the real meaning of Christmas.
In most western countries the central character of Christmas, is Santa Claus, or Father Christmas. This is an old man in a red suit trimmed in white; big, black boots; spectacles; long, white beard; with a supposedly Christmas greetings "ho-ho-ho" He walks around with a bag on his back giving out gifts to the nice and not the naughty. What is amusing is that he sometimes enters the house through the chimney.
This figure in turn has blended with the early Christian Saint Nicholas, a churchman who was known for spreading the wealth to needy members of his community, sometimes throwing sacks of coins through open windows and down chimneys- (See Foot Notes). Where is the biblical basis for such a character? He may be present in the modern crèche, but no one like him appears in the Gospel narratives of Jesus' birth.
There are other characters in Western Christmas celebration that are not part of Christmas story as we know it; such as Mr. Grinch, a grouchy, solitary creature who attempts to put an end to Christmas by stealing Christmas-themed items from the homes on Christmas Eve. Sadly this Character is based on children story of Christmas.
Flying Reindeers which belongs to Santa Claus, pull a sleigh through the night sky to help him deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa’s Ninh Reindeer. With these and other fictional characters, we miss the meaning of Christmas.
Most Americans decorates for Christmas at Halloween, some dress up as Santa Claus or Mrs. Santa Claus. For many Christmas is all about the holiday, family and food. And those aren’t bad things, but they aren’t what Christmas is all about. For too many people a HOLY DAY has simply become a holiday making Christmas what it's NOT.
It’s easy to get caught up in all the hype of Christmas without understanding what Christmas is all about.
During Christmas, families are busy organizing the celebrations than living the meaning. There are gifts and cards to be bought and mailed out, food to be cooked, presents to be wrapped, letters to be written, there are the family and staff parties to attend, and church appearances to be made.
There are lots of people who to them Christmas means lists and obligations and lots of stress and regrets. There is enough stress and regrets in life without adding Christmas to the list. So Christmas isn’t about the things we do. Christmas does not revolves around us, Christmas is not about making us happy, Christmas is not whether the date work for us, Christmas is not about food, Christmas is not about the gift we are expecting and hoping for.
Christmas isn’t just a day or an event. As long as we see Christmas as December 25th or even view it in a broader sense as “The Christmas Season” we will miss what Christmas is all about.
If Christmas doesn’t make a difference in how we live every day, not just December 25th than it has made no difference at all. When we celebrate the birth of Christ we should be celebrating our own salvation, redemption, grace and mercy. With the birth of Jesus, we need to be celebrating changed lives, a changed world and changed eternities.
Jesus came to give you eternal life, not a holiday.
Let us not have a one dimensional view of Jesus by saying "let's keep Christ in Christmas," that is summed up in Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." But let’s never forget that the baby born in the manger wasn’t just the son of Mary, he was the Son of God.
What is Christmas about? It began with a child being born of a virgin, far from home. And there were angels and shepherds and wise men with gifts. But that was just the beginning. And for some it seems to have ended thirty-three years and six miles down the road when Jesus was crucified, but that too was just a beginning.
Too often in our rush to make sure that we take the time to celebrate Christ’s birth we miss the enormity of Christ’s birth.
There are some people who want to throw their arms round you simply because it is Christmas; there are other people who want to strangle you simply because it is Christmas.” It doesn’t take long to figure out who’s who here.
Who will define what Christmas is for you? YOU WILL!
Foot Note:
Wikipedia- Not reliable source
