It’s that time of year again, the time I write a short piece to justify my enjoyment of Christmas, or my preferred “Xmas.” People assume that since I’m an atheist, I would shun this religious holiday.
On the contrary on two counts. First I welcome it, rather than shun it. Second, I’m convinced Christmas is really a secular holiday, despite what the church-goers say.
Historically, Christmas has most often been an excuse for wildness, drunkenness, and rowdy behavior of all sorts. In fact there was a period in the 1600s when the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in England, mostly because of the excesses of the party animals. It was even outlawed for a time in parts of New England, for much the same reason.
Once we shook off the Middle Ages, Christmas became a time to cut loose, with only a tip of the hat, at best, to the birth of Jesus. Times and work were hard, and in mid winter not much work could be done, so people had time to celebrate the way people always tend to, with excess.
Religion started creeping back into the holiday in the 19th century, but at the same time a different tradition was starting. Charles Dickens was one of the first and best at promoting this new attitude toward an old holiday. With the writing of A Christmas Carol, he got people thinking about the idea that Christmas was a time of unselfish acts toward others, generosity of wallet and spirit. Note that Jesus wasn’t mentioned in his delightful little book.
People now not only give over-priced gifts to family, friends and co workers, they also donate to charity, bring sacks of food to can food drives, drop money in the little pots the bell shakers have in front of stores, and generally act nicely toward people in the street.
Strangers pass me on the Boulevard and we wish each other a Merry Christmas. It makes us both feel good, and it doesn’t require a debate or conversation about the existence of God.
At the same time as A Christmas Carol, the idea of using the holiday to get together with family and rekindle ties became popular. The Christmas feast became tradition.
We send cards to friends in distant places, rekindling friendships that might otherwise fade. Some of us decorate our homes to stave off the darkness of mid winter. We have house parties, where we give our friends and families food and drink, and we don’t ask them to contribute or to reciprocate.
I have a great time doing things most of us enjoy: giving and receiving gifts, eating good food, drinking good wine and talking with good friends, and none of this comes with the requirement to talk about an itinerant Jewish preacher who was born two thousand years ago.
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