Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. Where did it come from, and what does it mean to us today?
The name Christmas tells us that it is the day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. In actual fact, it is very unlikely that Jesus was born on December 25. Scripture scholars now believe he was most likely born sometime in the spring. The December 25 date was borrowed from the Romans. This was the feast of their sun god. People noticed the days getting shorter and shorter until the winter solstice. By December 25, they noticed the days getting longer, and they gave thanks. There was hope again. When you think of it, Jesus gave the same message to Christians. Hope for the future. God is good.
There are other aspects of this message of hope borrowed from different traditions. To Europeans, the evergreen tree was a sign of hope when every other tree was but bare branches and the ground was covered with ice and snow. This same symbol of hope has been borrowed by Christians because again, the word of Jesus is a message of hope for the world.
Other traditions which actually had little to do with Jesus have been brought into our celebration of Christmas. Saint Nicholas was a very kind and generous leader in the early Christian church. During the night, he would put money into the footwear of those who were in need. His feast day is celebrated on December 6, but somehow we combined his persona with the story of the three wise men who brought gifts to the Christ child, and created Santa Claus.
In combining Christian and non-Christian traditions, we have actually created something very beautiful, which is often referred to as the Spirit of Christmas. This is a time of the year when we focus on two very beautiful and powerful aspects of our humanity, generosity and hope.
We give so freely during the Christmas season. We take time to consider the less fortunate among us. We do not think at all as we put money into the Salvation Army kettle, or canned items to local food banks. When we do this, we feel so good, simply because we know deep down that it is the right thing to do. We also consider the needs and desires of our own friends and family members and give generously to them. As a result, we receive treasures that money cannot buy. We celebrate family, and we give thanks.
The message of hope combines with our celebration of the New Year. We know that better times are ahead, and we celebrate in joyful anticipation.
Christmas is not only a Christian celebration. The Christmas Spirit is for all of us. Perhaps it is easier for Christians to embrace because they study the message of Jesus every day, and it constantly reminds them to live in hope, faith and love (generosity). All people of good will believe in these sacred truths, however. The challenge to us all is to remember them in the busy shopping malls, through the cold and dark months of January and February, and when we see our beautiful faces reflected back at us in the mirror at the start of each new day.
