The Merry Christmas Mandate

There’s all kind of talk out there about the way we don’t say Merry Christmas to one another but instead “substitute” some other pleasantry such as “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings.”

Consider this

I often wonder what is wrong with these “alternate” greetings. They certainly are festive enough and connote a certain sentiment that seems appropriate in the winter month of December. After all, not everyone is celebrating the birth of the Christ child. Some folks are just glad for another reason to go shopping and others are celebrating different holidays that fall within the same time frame as “our” Christmas. Our Christmas? Is that the mall version, the right wing version or the go to church once a year version?

I have been thinking a lot about Christmas. What does the Christmas I see in our (American) culture have to do with the story of a baby sent by God to earth to live among us? A baby whose mother (in her 9th month?) and step-father were traveling because of some governmental directive. Out of town and away from home so that the Christ child was born in a barn on a bed of straw, surrounded by a bunch of farm animals.

I am drawn to the idea of humility as symbolized in the story of the birth of Christ. The gift is from God to humanity, not from me to you or you to me.

Humility has nothing to do with the way our (American) culture does Christmas. It is not humble or humbling, it is insane. Then there are the high expectations around this time of year. Stephen told me of his past experiences of visible looks of disappointment in the eyes of a recipient when presented with the less that “perfect” Christmas gift. It is crazy!

I heard this in a sermon at church and I try and think of Christmas this way;

“God sent the son to take our nature upon him. He came to scatter the darkness in the word made flesh. He came to join earth to heaven and heaven to earth.”

For those who decry not using Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, let me ask you, do you think you are honoring God or the Christ child because you say Merry Christmas? Is God offended or are you? If you are offended, why?

We are in Advent, the time of waiting and anticipating, what does it mean?
perhaps this

Consider this quote from the November issue of Sojourners:

“The month of November is a lectionary train wreck. The calendars of liturgical and secular feast days collide so that Halloween, All Saints’ Day, Thanksgiving, the busiest shopping day of the year, and lighting the first Advent candle all fall within 30 days.”

and

“Despite green boughs and candles in the darkened church, Advent is not a pretty season. It is a powerful statement of challenge and resistance for Christians during the frenzy of consumption that has been made of our holy days…

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.