Christmas is...?

I like Christmas. I like baby Jesus and the story of his birth. I like the peace on earth, good will to men philosophy. I like Christmas trees, Christmas carols and songs, Christmas lights, Christmas gifts, and the idea of Santa. Christmas is magical but the spirit of the season seems to be more accessible to children than adults.

I remember how a five-foot tall Christmas tree looked to be about twenty-feet tall when I was a little girl. The hurry Santa, I can't wait slow down of time. Shopping with my mother in downtown Denver at night. How cold it would be walking up and down 16th Street stopping to look at the Christmas windows at the May D&F, The Denver Dry Goods Company, and Neusteters department stores. The way people kept accidentally bumping each other because the sidewalks were so crowded with shoppers and window lookers.

I remember the wonder of Midnight Mass and the way the church would be lighted with what seemed to be millions of tiny white lights. How the music, the Christmas decorations, the candles, and the creche all felt so sacred. How people were jammed into pews that would normally hold at least one or two more worshipers but could not this night because everyone was wearing either an overcoat or a parka. How quiet hundreds of people could be when they want to be.

And now? Well, I won't be writing about how commercialism has hijacked a large part of Christmas. Or how, for a lot of people, Christmas begins right after Halloween; so that by the time Christmas really gets here they are sick of it and toss the Christmas tree out the day after, happy to have it over. What I am going to be writing about is how fanaticism is creeping into Christmas both religiously and politically.

A few years back I wrote about a Shepherd's Party I attended here in town. I attended one more party two years ago and was shocked when one of the attendees at that party stood up and started talking about how Jesus had died for our sins and this was what we should remember as it was more important than his birth. He then invited everyone else there to partake in bread and wine (communion) to honor his sacrifice. I did not partake. I was surprised to see others also pass up this chance.

First of all, Christmas is about the birth of a baby. A baby that grew-up to bring a philosophy of love and hope to mankind. It is not about his death. I don't know how many crosses I have seen up in lights this year but I find it very annoying each time I do see one. What happened to the Star of Bethlehem? That is the symbol of Christmas I remember. I have been told that the cross is a symbol of Christianity and therefore belongs in Christmas light displays. I disagree. The cross is also a symbol of Jesus' death and as so has nothing to do with Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birth; we already have a religious holiday celebrating his death, it is called Easter.

Next, there was the action that officials at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, who had placed Christmas trees all over the airport, took when a rabbi asked that a 8-foot-tall menorah be placed in the airport to coincide with the start of Hanukkah. Instead of saying yes they over-reacted and took down all of the Christmas trees amd pretty much said it was the rabbi's fault. Then, after public outrage, they reversed themselves and put the trees back up. But they did not allow the menorah saying, "we look forward to sitting down after the first of the year with not only Rabbi Bogomilsky but others as well, and finding ways to make sure there's an appropriate winter holiday representation for all faiths. We want to find out a way to celebrate the winter holidays that is sensitive to all faiths."

So, they could decide to take down and put back up the Christmas tree very quickly but they need a whole year to decide how to put up a menorah. There is a good article discussing this at the Yakima Herald Republic online.

Earlier this week I saw a news report on a Denver television station that showed a house displaying Christmas lights. Front and center was a large American flag made out of red and white lights. What the hell does the American flag have to do with Christmas? I am pretty sure Jesus was not an American citizen.

Yesterday I saw a report about a Maine Christmas wreath maker who has put Christmas wreaths on the graves in Arlington National Cemetery for the last fifteen years. This year he will be sending out wreaths for military graves all over the country. This morning I opened my copy of The Denver Post to find three photos of wreath laying ceremonies across the country. One of the photo's main focus was of several large flags blowing in the wind. The whole lay-out reminded me of Veteran's and Memorial Day news stories. This angered me greatly. I do not appreciate the military or veteran groups trying to turn the Christmas season into a time to worship at the altar of our war dead. It is opportunistic, jingoistic, and obscene.

Christmas is about the birth of a child. Christmas is about peace on earth and good will to men. Christmas is about the magic of faith. Faith in the goodness of man. Faith in the future. Faith in love. Have we lost the true meaning of Christmas? Or is the Christmas spirit still here and most people just unwilling to see it?