Christmas: December 2007 Archives

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 post, Esther writes:

In case you haven't heard, there'll be no Christmas this year. At least not in the drafty English castle where Guy Ritchie and Madonna make their somewhat religiously confusing home. The adults are not exchanging presents, and the kids will get three presents each, but apparently no fatty or sugary food, or turkey, because Madge has issues with poultry slaughtering practices.

And what about the religious observances? Will they have a crèche? What about decorations? Or a meaningful discussion of their religious beliefs and what impact the season and its celebrations have? To recap, Madonna still claims to believe in Jesus, and is raising her children within the rules of what this article calls a "quasi-religion." Lourdes is 11, so we'll see if the Ritchie family commemorates her bat mitzvah. Maybe then we’ll understand. But probably not.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....