The True Meaning Of Christmas

What is the true meaning of Christmas? I suppose when that question is asked, it depends quite a bit on the responder what the answer will be. But is there a cultural definition that we can come to and agree with that encompasses everybody? Christmas is a religious observance, obviously, of Christ’s birth. But it goes beyond that, as we all know. It’s grown to encompass and adopt certain pagan rituals surrounding the Winter Solstice. There are also a couple of human emotional elements involved. The first being a strengthening of the positive emotions involved surrounding such concepts as peace and unity and belonging to a larger community.  The second emotional element is how Christmas relates to the end of the calendar year and the general tendency of human beings to use that time of the year to look back on the previous twelve months and do some self-introspection. There is also an element of commercialism, and I include Santa Claus in that category, given that the popular image first appeared in a series of Coca-Cola ads. By incorporating these five things into one unified definition, perhaps some of the misunderstandings regarding Christmas can be cleared up once and for all.

Nobody knows the exact date of Jesus’ birth, but one thing pretty much everybody agrees on is that it was nowhere near December. Still, the fact remains that it is celebrated on December 25. If you step back and take a look as an impartial observer, what part of Christmas is really about religion? If you go to church, then that’s definitely a religious aspect. Some of the songs specifically reference the birth of Jesus. Some of the ornaments have religious overtones or are based on religious symbols. So it’s definitely a prominent part of the definition. Which is why people have taken to calling this time of year the generic “Holidays”. I get it, but it’s just so bland and PC. Perhaps it’s inevitable that our definition of the true meaning of Christmas take on a name other than Christmas if we want to create a universal definition.

Most of the things we believe in, from science to religion, are a stew of a thousand different elements combined to produce something relevant for our society today. Christianity borrowed a lot of things from other religions, so it’s no surprise that many of the things we take for granted as being “Christmassy” are items used in rituals associated with the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice. Trees played a huge part in Pagan rituals. Today we celebrate the coming of winter by highlighting the fun things about it, not the death and destruction that was once associated with such a brutal time of year. We trot out the reindeer, snowmen, snow flakes, Christmas trees, lights, and icicles to embrace the season. A big part of Christmas is the cold weather and the fun you can have when the mercury drops. This has nothing to do with religion, but it is a natural human need to connect with nature.

In keeping with the theme of basic elements of human nature, part of the emotional resonence of the season comes from the intangible emotional need for Peace and Unity, a feeling of belonging to a community that is greater than you are. A connection with your fellow man. People are generally nicer during the holidays; a little less quick to lose their tempers (unless there’s a sale at Wal-Mart). And tempers can flare during such a sometimes hellish time of year. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Gotta get that perfect gift. Create that perfect memory.  But we see our own stress in other faces and realize that we’re all going through the same thing. It’s a commonality that brings people together. As great as the holidays are, there is an element of hell involved. A part of that hell comes from the self-critique that comes with the close of yet another year. December is inevitably the time when you look back on the previous 12 months and gauge what kind of year it’s been. Looking back at a previous span of time brings about thoughts of aging and mortality. At some point you stop thinking about how many years you’ve had and focus instead on how many you’ve got left. Is it any wonder so many classic Christmas songs are so damn melancholy?

Finally, there is a big chunk of what makes up the definition of Christmastime that I’ve only touched on vaguely: the commercial aspect. It’s America. Money drives everything. It’s no wonder that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday, the day when stores across the nation go into the black and start earning profit for the year. Christmas is HUGE money. They sell religious Christmas stuff, wintry stuff, and the emotional stuff. Neatly packaged in festive holiday wrapping designed to tap into a person’s nostalgia for an Olde World Christmas. Such crass commercialism goes against most people’s basic sense of goodness when they stop to think about it, but Christmas gets a pass because it’s all a part of the season. What would Christmas be without stupid Christmas ads and bustling shops; crowded sidewalks and the intoxicating aroma of a mixture of pine, food, and the smoky chimney of a fully-stoked fireplace? Commerce is essential. Yeah, we waste a lot of money on crap. Other countries are rightfully appalled. But it’s fun and it makes us better people.  Or so I’ve somehow convinced myself yet again.

In closing, I think we can start to form a basis for an argument that could one day lead to a universal definition of what Christmas means. Is Christmas solely about the birth of Jesus? Or is it a repetition of ancient rites passed down generation to generation in celebration of Winter? How much does the emotional aspect play in the definition? And, when it comes down to it, isn’t it all just the American public being taken for suckers so the fat cat corporations get richer while the average American goes deeper and deeper into debt, chasing the phantom of some Hollywood version of a so-called “perfect” Christmas? Or is it all those things? Maybe more? All I can say, and I can only speak for myself, is that Christmas is special to me. Some years more than others. But it’s also work. And probably not really worth it from an objective point of view. But for those few brief moments when you really experience the Christmas Spirit, you know that, really, the price isn’t that high in the grand scheme of things. And it’s only once a year.