We know – because it gets hauled out of storage every year along with the lights and tree ornaments – what Christmas means to those who practice Christianity and to those who follow Jesus (not necessarily the same people). Plenty of Christmas songs (many, ironically, written by Jews) celebrate good tidings, good cheer and good will toward all. But, underneath Christmas’ cheerful red and green exterior lies a neurotic mess.
The good news – such as it is – is that the commercialization of Christmas isn’t a modern invention. Harriet Beecher Stowe complained about how bad it was back in 1853! By 1867, Macy’s in NYC was holding Christmas Eve sales till midnight Christmas Eve.
Was Christmas ever really simpler or were we simpler (while Christmas was always fraught and complicated)? And how did Christmas get like this to begin with? We feel pretty safe in saying that you’ve probably never heard a Christmas discussion quite like this one. Is there a war on Christmas? Not really. But Christmas can definitely be at war with regular people.
Maybe that’s the question we should ask. Can Christmas really be a universal, one-size-fits-all holiday? Maybe. But, first, you’d have to remove the Christmas centerpiece: Jesus. And without Jesus…
Or, if you’d prefer to watch…