The Independent Variable - Matt Haugland


Saturday, December 23, 2006

War on Christmas

I'm a little tired of hearing about the "war on Christmas" every year. I think people on both sides should stop complaining. Christians, accept the fact that Christmas is basically a secular holiday for most people. Quit trying to make other people celebrate something they don't believe in. People on the other side, accept the fact that it's called "Christmas" and that it's related to "Christ". Quit trying to water it down into something that can't "offend" anyone.

To me, Christmas has always been mostly about spending time with family and enjoying gifts and gift-giving and other non-religious things. I've always felt a little guilty about that because of people who say Christmas must be all about Christ.

But recently I realized something. There is a holiday which to me really is all about celebrating Christ's birth. It's called "Christmas Eve". And on the next day, I can celebrate that other (mostly secular) holiday, enjoy it for what it is, not feel guilty about it, and not take a side in the "war" over it.

5 Comments:

At 9:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, the war on Christmas thing wears me out too

 
At 10:01 PM, Anonymous Jason said...

I totally agree with you. Christmas should be a happy time of year. There shouldn’t be any fighting over it. I have come to believe that until we evolve as humans, and a society, there will always be pointless skirmishes and fighting, however I believe all fighting is pointless. If we evolved, that still might not stop the fighting, but we can hope.
I also feel Christmas has become too materialistic. I don’t believe it should be based on what a person gets. People get too stressed over this holiday. I know people that expect gift after gift. It doesn’t matter to me about material things. As it states in the book of Matthew, there is no need to build up your treasure here on Earth. Build up your treasure in heaven. That doesn’t mean, I believe you can’t be wealthy and have nice things. You just shouldn’t value that above all things. I know far too many people that get too wrapped up in what to buy someone, and what they are going to get, that they lose what it is all about. I personally am materialistically poor, however I am the happiest I have ever been.

 
At 10:09 PM, Blogger Norman said...

As the estimable Andrew Heaton once said, there is a difference between Advent and Christmas.

As the estimable Andrew Heaton also said,
everyone needs to lighten the hell up.

 
At 7:50 PM, Anonymous Rachel said...

Christmas has just about always been my birthday. Try reconciling that AND Jesus AND all the other presents.

 
At 1:39 PM, Blogger Matthew said...

"...I'm a little tired of hearing about the "war on Christmas" every year. I think people on both sides should stop complaining..."

I know what you mean; good points, all-around.

 

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