What has Christmas become?

I’d like to point out a few disclaimers before I begin this piece. Number one: I am not a grinch. There is not one ounce of me that despises Christmas at all; I don’t roll my eyes when Christmas songs come on nor do I kiss my teeth when I see wholesome holiday adverts grace my TV screen. Number two: this piece is not aimed to coerce or guilt trip anybody into celebrating Christmas, or questioning why they do so.

Live your life. All I seek to do is challenge your thinking a little bit, and unpick the reasons for your traditions. Let’s get into it.

'Back in the Day'

I’m going to sound older than I am here, but I remember Christmas ‘back in the day’. Oh do I miss it. The feeling associated with that time of year was ethereal. School hallways were illuminated with decorations, which in turn brightened my school day. The Christmas tree hoarded presents underneath (which I didn’t know were just gift-wrapped empty cardboard boxes, our roast dinners tasted extra warm and the Polar Express screening made me wish I too was on a magical train journeying to the North Pole with strangers. And how can I forget flicking through the Argos catalogues, pointing out what colour Furby I wanted (I got a blue one with pink polka dots on it).

Christmas and Social Media

I’m sure that the innocence Christmas carried was also due to the lack of social media presence in my life. Not that social media has painted a negative narrative about Christmas, but social media subconsciously dilutes your mind. The constant scrolling and liking converts your brain from a stimulating force of ability, into a zombie-like state of mush. Do you still appreciate the things you appreciated when you were younger? Probably not. Do you still get excited about the little things? Probably not. Because those little things are drowned in the noise of pointless temporary trends, celebrity drama and other societal noise. Social media is desensitising us! The version of me that had no access to social media was so content around Christmas time; I had Home Alone screening on the telly, hours of competitive Wii Sports games with my brother and jovial family interaction.

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Christmas to me

Christmas is a time of peace and giving amongst family; there’s an accelerated warmth during December that you don’t get in the months prior. However, it can be argued that Christmas has become too commercialised. The ideal Christmas I described in my youth was so special because of the presents (I’m not materialistic). The economy wasn’t near as bad then, so my father and step-mother could afford a heap of toys for my siblings and I. Now, it’s almost like you are stifled in buying the things you’d like to buy because your pockets don’t stretch that far. And what is Christmas without presents? I hope you’re seeing what I’m posing here. The notion of Christmas being centred around giving is contradicted by the fact that many of us can’t afford to give much. I guess that’s where the wholesome aspect of it steps in.

Although I come from a Christian background, my family do not celebrate Christmas. Interestingly, the date of Jesus’ birth is not actually mentioned in The Bible. It can be argued that Christmas is a man-made holiday, with no religious resonance (History, 2024). For more information on the historical timeline of the festive period, you can see it here. Of course, we should celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it’s also arguable that this should be done in our hearts every day - not just once a year. So each December, I’m sacked off to my dad’s house, who proudly indulges in the Christmas activities. The point I’m making here is that there are grey areas in the origins of Christmas. I personally don’t have an issue with those who aren’t Christian enjoying the Christmas festivities, but do it with intentionality; know the reason why you are celebrating.

Like I forewarned you in the beginning, I am very much for Christmas. My friends can attest to this: the millisecond that Halloween was over, I was ready for Christmas to roll in. It just feels better. But the moral of this article was to make you reflect on why you are celebrating. I thought about it myself; what has Christmas truly become? I’ll leave you with that food for thought. Happy Christmas everyone!