December 2007 Archives

As I bring this year's December Dilemma Watch to a close, I have to say that 2007 will not go down as a banner year in the history of the Christmas wars. There were no freedom-of-religion (or freedom-from-religion) lawsuits that grabbed national headlines, no flood of boycotts of major retailers because those stores wished people "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," no barrage of books and specials hosted by television news commentators decrying the tragic decline of the rights of religious people in America.

Could it be that the days of such squabbles are behind us?

Probably not--for two reasons. One is that those who want to fan flames can always find flames to fan; even this year, there was, as you've read in this blog, a smattering of holiday struggles. The second is that a new iteration of the December Dilemma arose this year, and it is not likely to disappear in Decembers to come.

This new debate is less about the rights of Americans to practice their faith in public, and more about the spiritual implications of an American consumer culture that feels to many to be directly at odds with the religious meaning of the December holidays.

Jews have witnessed the festival of Hanukkah, which celebrates the resistance to assimilation of Judah Maccabee and his army, transform into a holiday that resembles Christmas in the proliferation of themed decorations and gift-giving. But for Christians, the issue hits even deeper, because unlike Hanukkah, Christmas is a major religious festival, one of the most significant of the Christian liturgical year.

The holiday is celebrated with the language of giving, but many Christians feel disappointed that the concept of lovingly offering a gift as a way to connect to a friend or family member, not to mention the larger idea of giving of yourself to make the world a better place, is easily lost amid the marketing campaigns that suggest that an electronic gadget or expensive bauble is the true spirit of the season.

And this is where the December Dilemma has landed. Very few people want to give up altogether, in the name of being more "spiritual," the fun of holiday gift-giving, not to mention party hosting, card sending, and house decorating. Nor should they--these traditions are the stuff of memories for families and communities. But many are wrestling with the idea of how much is "enough," how they can slow down their lives to truly connect with the reason for the celebration, and how they can re-infuse meaning into this sacred time of year.

What a valuable conversation to have, and what a relief from the rancor of previous years' Christmas wars. In those quarters, all is calm, all is bright for Christmas 2007. But may 2008 continue to bring out more insightful, more thoughtful conversations about not only how we practice religion in our free society, but why we do.

Yesterday, CNN.com published this column by commentator Roland Wilson, in which he makes the argument that Americans should "return to traditional values, and end this ridiculous charade" of stripping Christmas of its religious meaning.

To longtime observers of the December Dilemma, Wilson's essay appears to conflate two classic problems that many conservative Christians assert. One is that our secular society discourages Christians from publicly sharing their faith (the insistence on wishing people "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas). The other is the behavior of many Christians, who both literally and figuratively buy into the secular Christmas culture and focus on gifts and shopping rather than on prayer, reflection, and quality time with family.

Of course, there is a connection between these two issues - Christians are subject to the power of marketing just like everyone else, and in some ways, the widespread idea among advertisers that December is a time for you to spend money can't coexist with the idea that Christmas is a holiday about giving of yourself, not of your wallet.

But all the same, Wilson's essay would have been stronger had it focused only on the latter issue, as he does when he says, "It's important that we take a fuller account of WHY we celebrate Christmas, as opposed to falling for the barrage of ads that tell us what is most important." Because even Bill O'Reilly has declared victory in the war against "Happy Holidays," a sure signal that it's consumerism, not interfaith confusion, that's the real issue of the day.

Do you agree? Please share your views in the comments area.

This week, at least 12 residents of Santa Clarita, California discovered something missing from the nativity scenes they had put up in their front yards--the baby Jesus. In place of the baby, according to Los Angeles' KNBC News, the thieves left a note that read, "Do not worry for baby Jesus is not gone, yet he is just not born, yet."

The statues were indeed not gone, but instead were placed at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary at the nearby Our Lady of Perpetual Help church, baffling Msgr. Paul Montoya. "I'm not too sure if it's a young person's prank. We're not sure why they would do this," he said.

Perhaps the thieves were trying to reinforce the practice among many Catholics of not putting baby Jesus into the manger until the day of his birth, Christmas Eve?

Please feel free to share your opinion on when baby Jesus should be placed in the manger.

According to Catholic World News, the Vatican has changed its tradition of erecting a Nativity scene of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a manger in Bethlehem, instead putting up a scene of the holy family in their home in Nazareth. The Vatican has put up a creche since Pope John Paul II instituted the tradition in 1982.

The scene, as always, will not be unveiled until Christmas Eve.

Gov. Mike Huckabee, the ordained Southern Baptist preacher who continues to rise in the Republican presidential primary polls, has a new ad out that aims directly for the pro-Christmas set. People shouldn't be bombarded during this time of year with political ads, Huckabee says while wearing a red sweater, seated in front of a Christmas tree, with "Silent Night" playing softly in the background. Instead, "what really matters is the celebration of the birth of Christ, and being with our family and our friends." Ending with a "God bless, and Merry Christmas," the ad is sure to please many.

Esther Kustanowitz reports in our Idol Chatter blog that celebrities face the December Dilemma too. Specifically, Madonna, who attempts to balance a belief in Jesus with participation in pop-Kabbalah religion, has canceled Christmas in her home this year. In her...

In Green Bay, Wisconsin, a nativity scene was erected in front of City Hall. Some members of the community felt that this was an inappropriate public display of religion, and one man felt strongly enough about it to request that...

Joe Jankowski of Belleville, Michigan wanted to give his wife a Christmas she wouldn't forget 6 years ago. So he set about fully decorating their double-wide trailer home with Christmas lights and trees. Today, the home boasts 17,000 light bulbs...

FOX News commentator Bill O'Reilly has been a driving force behind publicizing the "War on Christmas" over the past several years, calling out retailers who wish customers "Happy Holidays" and pummeling the ACLU for bringing lawsuits objecting to religious...

In Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo declaring victory in the War on Christmas, he cited a column by the Philadelphia Daily News' Carol Towarnicky. O'Reilly said that for her comment that "No religion should be in the public square, not...

A holiday debate erupted in Long Beach, NY when city officials chose a 7-foot Christmas tree to display in the plaza in front of City Hall earlier this month. The size of the tree might not have offended residents, except...

Check out this gallery of tips for families who are facing the December Dilemma not in the town square, but in their living rooms. Here's how it begins: "The December holidays present particular challenges for Jewish-Christian families. This is an...

Beliefnet contributor Rabbi Brad Hirschfield , author of You Don't Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right, Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, offers this post on the family implications of the December Dilemma. Yes, it's that time of the...

In this "Stoplight" video posted by Focus on the Family's CitizenLink, commentator Stuart Shepard makes a decision about all of those catalogs that wish him "Happy Holidays." He's going to invite those retailers to celebrate his new holiday, "Tossmas."...

This week, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly, by a vote of 372-9, to support a bill called "Recognizing the Importance of Christmas and the Christian Faith." But Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is reportedly upset, according to this FoxNews.com article, that...

The grassroots campaign called "Buy Nothing Day," which urged people to stay out of the stores on "Black Friday," or the day after Thanskgiving, was a success, the organizers reported. Not only did the day get major media attention,...

Anyone who thinks fondly of a yesteryear when Christmas shopping wasn't stressful, when choices were simpler, and when people were less frazzled would do well to watch this classic Jack Benny Show clip where Dennis Day struggles with the...

For the first time in 20 years, the city of Pittsburgh held a menorah lighting in a public place, in front of the building that houses the Allegheny County government. According to Chabad-Lubavitch, the Hasidic Jewish group that erects menorahs...

Chabad is famous for erecting massive Hanukkah menorahs in prominent locations, and now they have a tool to let you find one in your area. Their Global Events Search locator lists the hundreds of Chabad-sponsored lightings, latke parties, and other...

A number of years ago, Matthew Caillouet just wanted to "do something random" for Christmas, the Princeton, Louisiana resident told his local NBC news station. So instead of twinkling lights or a nativity scene, Caillouet erected a wooden Santa...

The New York Times published an article this week that explores the nitty-gritty of interfaith family life in December - including attempts by parents of one faith to win their children over to their holidays. Like Amy Manata, a Jewish...

Is there a lesson for modern Christians in the story of Hanukkah? Yes, says Ted Olson in this provocative article he posted on ChristianityToday.com. Olson recounts the story of how Judah Maccabee and his band of warriors successfully rebelled against...

Chanukah Vs. Christmas - Click here for the funniest movie of the week We all have probably seen by now the humorous commercials in which a stiff, buttoned-up PC computer stands next to a hip, relaxed Mac. This video,...

A group of three young Christian men who call themselves "The Go Fish Guys" have written and posted this video song that expresses their feelings about why it should be called "Christmas with a Capital 'C'." In between verses...

Apparently a growing number of offices are foregoing the ritual of an annual holiday party, which can raise December Dilemma hackles on everything from what to call it ("Christmas Party?" "Winter Celebration?") to how to decorate the room. According to...

Last year, a major brouhaha erupted in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when, in response to a request by a rabbi that a Hanukkah menorah be displayed alongside Christmas trees, airport officials removed the trees and all holiday displays of any...

A new article by Austin Cline, a regional director for the Council for Secular Humanism, attempts to dismiss the idea that Christmas is being stripped of its religious meaning in modern times by proving that such secularization began ages ago....

The cast of the NBC show "30 Rock" has teamed up with American Express to create a series of "Holiday Fun Times" ads that poke fun at the absurd lengths we often must go to in order to keep the...

An 83-year-old woman in Montague, Mass. is about to find out what her community is made of, ABC News is reporting. On Friday, she was loading bags into her car outside of a drug store when a freak gust of...