Catching The Christmas Spirit

I have long had a difficult time with Christmas, but that has been changing.

Three short years ago, I considered writing a letter of surrender, addressing it to pagans.  Christians have been accused of hijacking their holiday, trying to claim Christmas as a day to celebrate Christ's birth.  I wanted to tell them that I was sorry.  We have been unable to make it our own holiday anyway and they might as we'll take it back and celebrate winter solstice.  Christmas, by and large had remained an overtly materialistic and pagan holiday, even in our modern day, resembling very little a holiday to celebrate the light of the world.  

In the last couple of years, that has been changing.  And strangely enough, the very reasons why many are beginning to question Christmas' validity in our culture, are the same reasons my own fondness grows.

More and more, Christmas is being recognized as a Christian holiday.    It's less politically correct to wish Merry Christmas than it was even three years  ago.  Can't you see?  We won!  It's taken about 2013 years, but Christmas is finally ours!  For so long, it has been a mixed slurry of commercial hedonism and idolatry, but at long last, it's being recognized as a Christian thing.

I'm also hearing much more about how Christmas is hard for a lot of people.  This too I find to be tremendously encouraging.  That is precisely what light is meant to do; to expose injustice for what it is.  Christmas might be harder for you because you lost your dad last year, your parents split up or your wife walked out on you.  (If I sound insensitive, please know that my family is not beyond those hardships.) Christmas didn't kill your dad, run away with your wife or break up your parents.  It's not Christmas' fault.  Consider this - The reason it hurts more at Christmas, is because Christmas is good.  May two-four doesn't bring on the same feelings, because it isn't really a time for anything authentically good.

If it gets any better, I might even wear a Santa hat.  If you don't like Christmas, I'm okay with that.  God sent His Son, because He wants the whole world to be saved.  You might not want the same.  Strangely enough, I am quite fine with it.

PS. And to the pagans, I wasn't there when Christmas began, but if we really did take it from you, I truly am sorry.  If that is the case, were it in my power, I would gladly give it back.