Christmas Season

Back in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s one of my sisters was spending a year doing college studies in Spain. My parents decided to cross “the pond” and celebrate Christmas with her in Europe.  That left the rest of us to fend for ourselves on Christmas Day.  Although not really, since family friends had kindly invited us over to spend Christmas with them.  In a sense we had two Christmas', the one on Christmas Day and the whole family celebration (absent my sister studying abroad) on (or near) the feast of the Epiphany.  This was a true representation of the Christmas season, from its beginning to its end.  Receipt of gifts of the Epiphany makes some sense, as it is the day the three Magi arrived to see the Christ child.  

Shepherd Fields, near Bethlehem
Excavation roofs 

The twelve days of Christmas has been popularized by the Christmas carol, but unlike what many today seem to think, it is not twelve days before Christmas, but rather the time span between Christmas and January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. Currently, we are in the midst of the Christmas season and families who were unable to get together to celebrate on December 25 (or Christmas Eve), do so either before, or often after Christmas Day.  What is interesting about the English carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is that it was popularized in the mid-16th century and was a common occurrence until 1829 as a way for Roman Catholics to communicate certain key features of their Christian faith.  For centuries in English territories Roman Catholics often could not openly practice their faith, and they relied on certain methods to communicate and instruct.  The Irish dance, popularized by River Dance, was also used as a way of Catholics to communicate with one another by use of tapping feet over mouth and words.  When marginalized, as Roman Catholics were following the split with the divorce of Henry VIII, they developed unique methods of communication.  In the carol, the twelve drummers drumming represent the twelve points of the Apostles' Creed, and the partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ, whose birth is commonly celebrated on December 25.  As some yard signs say, he is “The Reason for the Season." 

Church of the Nativity, location of the presumed birthplace of Christ

Overtime, Santa has taken on a larger dimension.  Are we losing sight of our reason for the season?  From a standpoint of religiosity, one could often count on a church to be full for Christmas and Easter services.  However, the United States is becoming more and more secularized.  You see it in Thanksgiving cards or New Year cards replacing Christmas cards (at least for the few that continue to be sent out), and it is in our language, holiday tree compared to a Christmas tree being one example. One could even argue that this trend can be good for Christianity as it can help refocus the community on the true meaning of the day.  As the number of persons who attend church continues to decline through both fewer persons practicing a particular Christian faith, and as the percent of US residents who are "nones" continues to increase, the Christmas season as a national celebration will be more and more in keeping with the consumer culture and the ever increasing secular herd, than a religious culture.  How will Christmas be viewed in 100 or 200 years?  Will it have any strong relevance to the birth of Jesus Christ, or will it have morphed to an even more complete consumer holiday?

Grotto location of the birthplace of Christ
within Church of the Nativity

There is nothing wrong with gift giving.  After all the birth of Christ was the penultimate gift of God--the birth of his son. Cultural changes, however, are taking away the purpose for which the day is named, and, I suspect, the true purpose of the day will gradually be replaced so that fewer persons will recognize the day's true original purpose.  Some cultural shifts gradually occur, and others occur much more quickly.  Regardless of how the shift does occur (if it continues to occur), there will always be some vestige, or small community of us who believe and continue to go to church; in a sense being counter-cultural.  The continued re-branding of all things Christmas to a more benign description does not, however, minimize or destroy what is one's heart.  Nor can it really compare to the difficulties of history, or present time in some regions.  History is replete with martyrs and saints who have kept their faith in difficult circumstances.  One only need to look at the coercion and murders that ISIS inflicts on Christians in the Middle East.  Perhaps Middle Eastern Christians have found methods to communicate with each other in ISIS held territory not unlike Roman Catholics did in 16^th century England.  But, the change in language does indicate a change in custom and culture.

Israeli Settlements in Palestine as seen from Shepherd Fields
With the recently adopted UN resolution, these settlements
have become a bigger source of controversy

The Christ child was born in a small town in an often rebellious and backwater province of the Roman Empire.  It is a region that today continues to be replete with strife, showing that in life some of the most precious occurrences come amidst dissonance.  My parents could have traveled to Europe to see my sister during almost any other season (but for tax season) when she was in Europe, but they chose to do so on Christmas.  They wished her to be with family on the day of Christ's birth.  For years Christmas has been associated with giving, and as I noted that is well and good, but we also need to recall the original purpose of the day and season, and give due recognition and thanks to the birth of Christ. May everyone have a blessed Christmas Season.  

Photos by Author, April 2013