Whose Christmas Is It Anyway?

Spend, spend, spend.  It seems that at this time of the year that's all we seem to be doing.  We start with the buying of gifts for family and friends and then we stock up on food as though we are catering for the five thousand (slight exaggeration!)  But we do tend to over-cater for the Christmas holiday time - just in case.  And we buy stuff that we wouldn't normally eat but feel almost obliged to indulge in all those sweet delights and 'extras' just because 'it's Christmas'. Then no sooner is the actual day over, some then go on to spend more trying to get some bargain in the after-Christmas sales.  It is understandable therefore that some would say that Christmas belongs to the commercial sector and that they are the ones who gain most.  Not everyone thinks like the Grinch when he ponders, 'Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas ... perhaps ... means a little bit more.'


I can't help thinking that most people, if asked to name someone associated with Christmas, would say without thinking 'Santa Claus' rather than Jesus or any of the people from the original nativity scene.  Everywhere you go, there are pictures of the man with the red and white fur-trimmed clothes and the big white beard who always seems to be smiling.  'Tis the season to be jolly, Ho Ho Ho and all that.  Cards, books, television programmes are all about Santa Claus.  So some might think that Christmas belongs to Santa Claus.


On the other hand I have heard Christians say that the Christmas season belongs to Christians.  This was made quite plain to some friends who decided to go to a carol service at the local church before Christmas.  The church was full when they arrived there.  They looked around and saw a few seats at the back of the building and were hoping to sit down when they were told that those seats were reserved for church members who were doing stewarding duties and who would be taking their seats shortly.  The friends sadly left the building feeling a bit that maybe fully paid up members of the club/church group had priority when it came to seating and after all they were 'outsiders'.  Having said that, I know of other Christians who spent some of their Christmas Day serving up a hot meal for those who would have otherwise been on their own this Christmas.  So Christmas as some believe, belongs to the Christians.  

We notice many Christians urging us not to take Christ out of Christmas.  I totally agree!  But what exactly do we mean by this?  It's easy to keep Christ in the written word Christmas, but it's the actions that really matter.  The first Christmas which is the one that as Christians we celebrate at this time of year, was not a great gathering of religious people.  It wasn't some carefully organised celebration.  It was an act of God totally emptying himself of love for all of humanity.  It was a sign of hope for those who were downtrodden, justice for those who were treated unfairly and a future for those who lived in fear of what tomorrow might bring.  As in the words of the song, written and sung by mainly non-church-goers; Feed the world, let them know it's Christmas time.  It is not about celebrating one day; it is a way of living; it's the daily echo of God's self-emptying love lived out in our own lives.  Who does Christmas belong to?  Actually, from God's point of view, it belongs to everyone.  Joy to the world.  Peace on earth, goodwill to all people.  To really 'own' Christmas, we have to live it not just one day of the year but every day and show God's love to all, whoever they are, whatever they believe and whatever are their circumstances.  Emmanuel - God with us - God's love for all of his creation expressed in human form.  That's the real Christmas message.