Christmas is here once more, and although we might hope for a respite from wingnuttery to brighten the season, we aren't going to get it. As Slate magazine points out, this year, many on the religious right have chosen to make "Merry Christmas" a bellicose battle cry, a challenge to all us secular Christmas-hating liberal scrooges out there. Besides the usual plethora, regular as the tides, of "breaking news" stories on FOX news about evil liberals beating Christmas carols out of schools, taking away nativity scenes from town halls, and aborting babies right on the street for fun, this year the religious right has decided to play offense.
There are boycotts urging Christians to shop only at stores whose signs say "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays." Pundits are speaking the very phrase "Merry Christmas" with a challenging edge to it, as if to say, "Yeah, I'm a Christian? Wanna fight, you secular liberal Jesus-hating Volvo-driving pussy!?" It seems like every Christmas, we have people complaining that Christmas--at least in the public arena--is being destroyed from some corner or another. It's become too secular, say the religious activists. It's become too religious and is a tool for indoctrination, say the parents who want carols out of schools. It's become too commercialized! We all scream as we run out to the mall. So what the hell are we to do? Can all these visions of Christmas coexist in harmony?
Well, although the religious right wouldn't want you to believe it, sure. The way we celebrate Christmas is- albeit all European- an excellent example of multiculturalism. Most of our favorite carols come from England- secular and religious. The idea of Santa Claus and of gift-giving is Dutch, originating from the Feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6th. The Christmas Tree is a German deal. And of course, in our uniquely campy yet charming American way, we've added our own traditions. Like football and Frank Sinatra crooning the Christmas Song. But something beyond all these pleasant things makes most of us happy during the Christmas season. What is it?
The reason Christmas is celebrated on December 25 really doesn't have all that much to do with the actual concrete birthday of Jesus Christ. When the first Christians were trying to convert pagan tribes, particularly in Northern Europe, they understandably met resistance. Some Christians tried violence, others tried to convert the Pagans using reason, and others just sat there and prayed. But it soon became clear that conversion of the Pagans to Christianity was much easier when no one made too big a deal out of the local customs. The early missionaries- and the Pagans- clearly saw a very logical parallel between the yule celebrations held on or near the winter solstice and Christmas itself. The book of Isaiah foretells "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light." The Gospel of John, the most metaphysical and mystical of the four gospels of the bible, begins this way.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."- John 1:1-5
Theologically, Christ's birth can be seen as the entry of light into the world, the light that shines to the people who walk in the darkness of sin. Christ illuminates our world, that we can see for ourselves who we really are and what is really offered us through the Grace of God. That is the celebration of Christmas in Christian terms: the return of light to the people that have walked in darkness. The celebration of yule, or the winter solstice, means much the same thing. The Winter Solstice is the darkest day of the year but one that holds the most promise: after the solstice, the days will lengthen, sunshine and warmth will again slowly return to the world. Thus it was customary in pagan cultures to have a revel celebrating the lengthening of days, with burning of trees (hence the traditional Yule log) and a generally festive atmosphere. The early Christians weren't stupid, nor were the pagans. Both parties clearly saw the similarity. The Christians figured they would get more converts if they allowed these rites to be celebrated along with Christmas, and the Pagans perhaps found it easier and more logical to convert to Christianity when they saw the similarities it bore to their own cultures and lives. Christmas is a time of merriment for both the secular and the religious because it is a time in our lives when we celebrate the return of light in the midst of darkness. For the Christian it is the light of Christ. For the secular person, Pagan, whoever, it is whatever lightens their life- friends, family, a good job, a supportive community, or anything that brings joy into your life. And who among us can say with a clean conscience that either of these celebrations is a bad thing? The Christmas carol says "God rest ye merry, gentlemen." Christmas, despite what some of a more theologically conservative bent might say, is of course a time for merriment! What better occasion to celebrate than the return of God's light to the world! And we celebrate the way every one else does, because we are no better or worse than they- we eat good food, extend charity to the less fortunate, spend time with family and friends, and spend far too much money powering our consumer driven economy by buying gifts for people.
Other religious celebrations involve light as well. Judaism's Chanukkah, celebrated around the same time of year as Christmas, is a celebration of light- there was only oil for one day but it gave light for eight. The cultural celebration of Kwanzaa features points of light in the life of a community and an individual, such as family, community, and culture. And if your religion does not have a specific celebration this time of year, I cannot think of too many religions that don't celebrate or work towards illumination- whether of the soul, the intellect, or the community of faith. Suppose you do not wish to celebrate the holidays at all, in any way? This is all well and good. Those of us who do celebrate it are obliged to respect that, and we should want to respect that. Likewise, those who do not are obliged to respect those who do, and realize that as that includes most people, there isn't really a feasible means of total escape.
So what about those who are trying to replace merry Christmas with happy holidays? To prevent the singing of Christmas carols in schools, and to get rid of nativity scenes? Doesn't that go against everything I'm saying? Well, maybe taking it too far does. But no matter how much good will and cheer we feel on Christmas, we can't let down our guard against people who might use it- some even with the best intentions- to try and erode the wall separating Church and State. Which I think we all agree is one wall that doesn't need to be torn down. I'm not against nativity scenes in front of town halls because I hate Jesus, or Christianity, or am trying to drive the religious out of Christmas. I'm against them because it amounts to a government endorsement of a very specific religious component of a Holiday, which I oppose in principle. The fact that it happens to be my religion they are endorsing means nothing! Christmas Carols in schools are the same type of problem. I'm a bit more flexible on those if they are performed by a performing group. For example, a public high school choir should be able to sing a chorus from the Messiah or Bach's Christmas Oratorio because that is an artistic performance and not an attempt at indoctrination. Sometimes great art has religious themes, especially Christmas-related art, and that should be celebrated. But having assemblies where the school sings religious Christmas songs is not acceptable, not because the songs are bad, but because a public school is not the place to sing them!
I am a Christian, and I ADMIRE stores for saying "Happy Holidays" because that way they are wishing a happy Kwanzaa to those who celebrate it, a happy Chanukah to the Jews, a festive yule to the Pagans, a merry Christmas to the Christians, and happy whatever to everybody else. So I wish you, in the words of that godawful cell phone commercial, a happy Christmahanukwanzaa, or whatever else you might celebrate this time of year. Because in some way, most of us are celebrating the same thing. Despite the best efforts of some right-wing grinches, Christmas will come this year just the same. It will mean something different to everybody, but for most people it will be a happy time. And that's the way it should be. So Happy Holidays, Kossacks. And remember, it's not Christmas if you haven't stolen at least one nativity scene.
Just Kidding.
Unless it's the giant one with George Bush as the Christ child that's outside Rupert Murdoch's office tower.