It shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that Christmas doesn’t feel as Christian anymore. Yes, it’s still present all over the TV & in stores, but many Christians feel as though it lacks the parts that actually make it a religious celebration. Here are six reasons why Christians think the holiday no longer belongs to them.
1. Many non-Christians celebrate Christmas
There have been many Pew Research Center surveys about how people celebrate Christmas. But one of the most revealing ones is about who celebrates Christmas. Around four in five non-Christians say that they celebrate the holiday, but usually more as a family or cultural event than a religious one. Quite a few Christians feel insulted by this. They feel that it makes their holiday into something that’s more like a shared social holiday, as opposed to a faith-based celebration.
2. Santa is the center of American pop culture
Santa Claus practically took over the Christmas story in America. He’s the figure that many kids think about during the festive period, and he’s at the center of most Christmas decorations & cards. Many Christians feel that Santa Claus becoming the main character has pushed Jesus out of Christmas. They argue that the festive period no longer belongs to them because it’s Saint Nick’s holiday instead of Jesus’s.
3. Advent calendars involve products, not devotion
Advent in the church used to involve waiting & reading scripture as you prepared to celebrate Jesus’s birth. It was after World War II that chocolate Advent calendars first became popular, and then they became mass-market products during the 1970s. They’ve practically lost all Christian meaning. Most Advent calendars sell toys & other material items, rather than sharing prayers or Bible readings. Advent has become a countdown to gifts.
4. Civic ceremonies discourage Christian Christmas language
Christmas is a big part of city events in the winter. But legal scholars like Carl H. Esbeck claim that city officials are often encouraged to avoid explicitly Christian-related language during these events. They’re told to do so to avoid legal risk. Some Christians feel as though this “inclusion” is more a form of exclusion, where Christmas celebrations are only allowed once the “Christ” aspect is removed.
5. Christmas Day is a day for premium sports programming
The NFL & NBA both run nationally televised games on Christmas Day. So does the NCAA. These games often start at midday, and some Christians take issue with that because they think it takes away from what Christmas Day should be about. They believe it makes going to church an optional activity on Christmas Day, while sports games have become the day’s main event for the whole family.
6. Xmas remove Christ
Some believers feel that saying “Xmas” instead of “Christmas” takes the “Christ” out of the holiday. It’s part of what a few Christians refer to as the “War on Christmas.” However, the truth is that X comes from the Greek letter chi. This was used by ancient Christians as an abbreviation for Christ, so Xmas is actually no less Christian than Christmas itself. But that doesn’t stop some from believing that using Xmas everywhere stops the holiday from being about Jesus.
The tension around Christmas for many Christians comes from recognition. They see Christmas being mentioned across calendars & screens, as well as in storefronts, but they’re unhappy with how the religious meaning appears to be sidelined. They know that Christmas isn’t going to disappear. Yet it seems to them that the wider culture has forgotten that the holiday belongs to them.
