Christmas...

It seems that every year the discussion of what Christmas has come to mean in our modern society intensifies. Christmas was once defined by celebrating the birth of Christ, and the beginning of his coming. Yet now, in the year of 2005, Christmas is seemingly a prisoner of corporation, tortured into relinquishing its once holy meaning, beaten into telling us to 'Buy! Buy! Buy! Though Christmas controversy is seemingly new it has, in fact, surrounded the holiday since its inception. However the question remains; has Christmas lost all its meaning, or is it simply undergoing a metamorphosis coming to mean something new?

Christmas is known to be a celebration of the birth of Christ. Yet even this is a falsehood, as many historians have come to agree. According to descriptions from the Bible, "shepherds [were] living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night." (Luke 2:8) This passage alone has led historians to believe that Christ was in fact born in spring or summer months as the winters would have been to harsh for people to sleep exposed to the elements. So why is it that the eve of December 24th and day of December 25th was in fact selected?

As Christian powers seized Europe, a challenge lay in converting the masses from the dominant religions of the times which varied from Paganism, Roman mythological beliefs, to local and regional beliefs throughout Europe. To achieve conversion, action was taken to replace existing traditions with those of Christian origin; in doing so eliminating the religions they were associated with. During December many of these religions observed mid-winter festivals, and traditions while others paid homage to different gods.

In Rome, the festival of Saturnalia was celebrated from December 14th to 25th paying homage to the god of peace and plenty : Saturn. During this time of "relaxation and merriment ..law courts were closed. No public business could be transacted. Schools kept holiday." Wars and Punishment ceased and gambling was condoned by the government. The French celebrated the 'Festival of Fools' on December 26th during which the English Lords of Misrule paraded as mock clergy, bishops, popes, abbots and archbishops. Babylonians, Egyptians and Germans observed mid-winter and fertility festivals. The Persians celebrated the birth of their sun-god, Mithras, on the 25th of December. Because the coming of winter ended the growing season, Scandinavians celebrated the festival of 'Yule', during which festivities were conducted void of spirituality. Mistletoe and holly, thought to be important symbols of fertility by the Celts, decorated homes. While Druids, who worshiped trees as a religious symbols, held sacred ceremonies around evergreens. Most of these festivals were accompanied by glutinous feasting, gift giving, endless celebration and indulgence.

It wasn't until 350 ACE, that Pope Julius I named the 25th of December as the day of Christ's birth. An action, thought by many historians, taken to make the conversion to Christianity easier for a population so accustomed to winter festivities. Not surprisingly, since its inception the tradition of Christmas has been shrowded in controvercy. Early outrage was expressed by members of the clergy who believed the birth of Christ should be a holiday focused on the simplicity of nativity rather than a holiday celebrated with the sins of indulgence. Exactly 1,655 years later and the tradition of Christmas is still hotly debated.

In 2005,the true meaning of Christmas is at stake as we buy more and more each year. In the year 2004, shoppers in Canada alone spent a staggering $34.5 billion on retail goods. On average, per Canadian, that's a whopping $804 each! These figures, released by Statistics Canada did not include any sales made in the automotive retail sector. It is such information that leaves many with substantial evidence to support the claim that Christmas, has simply become a marketing tool.

'The Christmas Resistance Movement' (www.xmasresistance.org) proclaims that "holiday shopping is offensive and wasteful... Christmas "wish lists" and "gift exchanges" degrade the concept of giving" ; in light of this they call on readers to boycott Christmas. Refusing to subscribe to any Christmas traditions from gifts and cards to decorations, 'The Christmas Resistance Movement,' seeks to show their care to their family at this time of year by giving the gift of time. Is this just another case of counter culture madness, or a view of things to come?

As atheism increases in the 21st century, so does the mass of those who appreciate Christmas without religious or spiritual reason. Though Christmas is still a time of celebration and indulgence it is quickly being stripped of its traditional, "birth of Christ" meaning. But, is a new meaning begining to arise? Surely one could argue so. Stemming out of sentiments of old, many are beginning to feel that Christmas is simply a time for family and friends. And while it is true that the materialism of Christmas has increased, one could argue that this too is a reflection of the desire to treat those who we hold dear to our hearts. Need this be done by spending $804 per Canadian? Definitely not. But as we progress to an age where tradition is fading, it is important to remember that not all is lost. Even the members of 'the Christmas Resistance Movement' would have to admit that despite rampant materialism, the holidays still remain a time of family. Christmas is one of the few times of year people go the extra mile to connect and celebrate with those close of kin, whether they are armed with a bounty of gifts or not.

Regardless of the arguments that can be made, Christmas will remain forever immersed in controversy and debate. It has been this way since Pope Julius I's declaration some 1,655 years ago, and will surely remain so for 1,655 years more. Whether the meaning of this holiday changes again in years to come, one thing remains certain, the populous will always demand a reason to spend mid winter celebrating and indulging with those who mean the most; its been this way for centuries, and surely will remain so for centuries to come.


Bilibiography:
http://www.xmasresistance.org/
http://www.ccg.org/english/s/p235.html
http://www.christmas-time.com/ct-history.htm
http://de.essortment.com/christmaspagan_rece.htm
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/holidays/sales.html