How Christmas Has Changed

Only 1 week to Christmas!

Everywhere’s bustling in the Christmas atmosphere. Packed shopping centres, busy crowds, mailbox full of enticing junk mails, pretty lights, gift cards, decorations, Christmas carols, parties, travels, presents, food...We are all so busy buying gifts, preparing for family get togethers or enjoying the holidays that Christmas has become a festive season. Its original meaning has shifted from Christ's sacrifice to human generosity, from gratefulness to indulgence.

We’ve seen Christmas being gradually stripped of its meaning over the years. Happy holidays has become the preferred Christmas greeting to avoid any religious connotation; carols depicting the birth of Jesus are slowly replaced by the almighty Rudolph the reindeer and the ever popular jingle bells. Kids are taught anything about Christmas but the story of Jesus’ birth.

In the midst of all the frantic activities and busyness, are we forgetting what Christmas is about? Are we taking the opportunity to tell others about the birth of Jesus and what that means to us? Have you entered a church building this Christmas and the only things you see are Christmas trees, flowers, presents and all sorts of decoration, except the very signs that remind us of the object of celebration? Have you wondered where the cross, (baby) Jesus, wise men, manger, angels, Mary or Joseph's gone? I have and for a moment I wondered if someone new who came into buildings like that would be inspired to think about God or know that it's a place of worship?

It was under such commercialism of Christmas that we decided quite a few years ago to have a nativity scene rather than a Christmas tree as the centre stage at our home. It was difficult to find anything like that back then, so we made puppets of the characters, complete with stuffed animals. To gain back some perspective and to remind ourselves of what Christmas really is about, we’ve also introduced a time to reflect upon the past year, remembering the goodness of God and thanking Him for what He has done before opening the presents. 

How can you put back some of the meaning that’s been lost in your celebration of Jesus’ birth this Christmas?