Remembering Christmas

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An attempt to remind ourselves what Christmas is all about.



I'd like you to imagine that your birthday is coming up (if it is actually is, happy birthday in advance!). You've been looking forward to your birthday for a while: it's a day to celebrate with your friends and family. It's not like this is the only day where you spend time together, but it still is special.

About a month or so before your birthday, you notice that your family members have begun to put up decorations. As much as you're looking forward to your birthday, you can't help feeling a little perturbed at their early preparations. Your family have started preparing invitations as well.

Finally, the day arrives. Once you reach the party venue; you hear sounds of music and laughter. Excited; you try and enter but...the door's locked. You knock on the door repeatedly, but no one comes to open it  You try calling for help. No answer; not even on your phone. No one can hear you over all the noise. Everyone's enjoying your birthday party without you.

Yeah...you can probably see where I'm going with this.

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year; but it's no secret that it's become grossly over-commercialised over the past several decades. End-of-year sales, presents, restaurant dinners; these are all good things but, what're we celebrating here? The new year? Nah, that's not until after Christmas (at least with the Gregorian Calendar). Giving thanks for the year? That's in November (for Americans at least). It's simple really. Christmas is a time to celebrate of the birth of Jesus Christ. It's in the name.

In many different forms of media, the Christmas message of 'togetherness' and 'heart,' is presented. These are good concepts, but there's no core to them. Or rather, the core has been forgotten. It's ironic that Christmas decorations go up earlier each year, but the Person who's birthday is being celebrated is barely featured on any of them. Without Christ, Christmas loses it's meaning.

In my opinion, if you're going to go through all the trouble to put up decorations and play Christmas carols, you should at least find out the reason for the season; even if you don't subscribe to Christian beliefs. Or at the very least, wait until a suitable time to start hyping up the holiday. What's interesting is that some people think Christmas is over by the 26th of December, when in reality, it ends all the way on the 6th of January.

As Christmas draws nearer, let's all try and respect it as a religious celebration, regardless of our beliefs. 

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