Walking through our local big box retail store in late November 2023, I was intrigued by the array of “Christmas” T-shirts on display. Every single one of them was making some sort of fun or folly of Christmas. Now I enjoy having fun just as much as anybody, but there’s a big difference between having fun and making fun of someone or something. I found these shirts in particular poor taste:

I wondered, how did we get here?

A quick search on the internet about “Christmas” returns a lot of interesting information. The word “Christmas” literally means “Christ’s mass,” and it originated from the Old English term, “Cristes Maesse.” It was sometime in the 4th century that the early church decided to celebrate the birth of Christ annually on December 25. Interestingly, it just so happened to coincide with the Roman Saturnalia, a traditional pagan festival. Why the 4th century church chose to combine the celebration of the birth of the Savior of the world with a pagan festival is perhaps a discussion for another day, but suffice it to say that this is, in fact, what history has recorded.

Fast forward to today, it seems that while Christmas has long been a beloved holiday to most everyone, it definitely holds different meanings to different people groups.

For the believer in Christ, it’s about Christ.

For the unbeliever, it has nothing to do with Christ.

For the child or the young at heart, it’s a time of wonder, expectation, and excitement. It’s sweet in terms of giving gifts to our young children, and the joy we have in watching their excitement. However, quite honestly their excitement is likely centered around the gifts.

Have we first shared or read the Christmas story from the Bible? Do our children and family know why we exchange gifts at Christmastime? What about those who can’t afford to buy gifts? Do you think it’s possible that too much emphasis is placed on the gifts or on giving expensive gifts?

For the retail business owners, big box stores, and online retail giants, it’s a time of huge sales profits as the public spends billions of dollars buying gifts for their loved ones; many of whom go into debt to buy those gifts.

Somewhere along the line, it does appear that the importance of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has been overshadowed by the season of fun and folly, and the buying and the selling. All while the tradition of gift-giving has morphed into a multibillion-dollar secular commercialization of Christmas.

Maybe we could place the blame on an advertising industry that’s continually promoting bigger, better products.

Maybe we could blame our government agencies who removed Nativity scenes from government properties.

Maybe we could blame the school boards and the states who removed Bibles from schools and banned teachers from mentioning the name of Jesus, and from sharing their faith.

Maybe we could blame big corporations who promote the latest woke ideologies, and of course, Santa Claus—but never mention the name of Jesus.

Maybe we could blame the progressive liberal churches, apostate churches, and the prosperity churches who preach a false gospel.

Maybe we could blame the parents who fail to raise their children in a Christian home, who subsequently fail to tell them why Jesus was born or why He died on the cross.

But the truth is:

Satan is the god of this world and is the major influence on the opinions and actions of the unbelievers all around the world today. Satan is hell-bent on keeping people from coming into a saving relationship with Christ.

And,

As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Romans 3:10-12

And because of this,

Until one becomes born again through the gift of faith, repentance of sin, and trust in Jesus Christ alone, Christmas will remain in their eyes, to be all about the fun and the folly, and the buying and the selling.

Meanwhile, Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmastime, and nonbelievers celebrate everything but Christ.

All the more reason that as Christians we should pray for those who do not yet know Christ, and speak up, not just at Christmastime but whenever the Spirit leads.

Because,

Christmas is all about Christ. It’s God’s integral part of His perfect plan of salvation through Jesus’ incarnate birth.

Jesus was the greatest gift ever given and His birth is more than worthy of celebration.

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

Amen and Merry Christmas