Christmas is invariably the time for a grouch that neither Christ nor mas(s) feature much in a festival meant to rededicate Christian believers to the worship of the son of God. Materialism, especially for children, swamps, on this view, any reflection on the meaning of a Christian — or religious — life.
To this, there is the retort — increasingly made — that giving happiness through gifts is part of Christmas — a festival that was elevated to the supreme Christian holy day, or holiday, of the year in the 19th century. Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol" helped a lot in giving it both a moral and commercial boost. What did Ebenezer Scrooge do when he was turned from a miser to a benefactor through a visit from the horrifying ghost of Christmas yet to come? He commissioned a passing urchin to buy the largest and most expensive turkey he could find and deliver it to the family of his much-abused clerk, Bob Cratchit: a present that transforms the family's usual scanty Christmas dinner to a feast.
Yet, unrecognized by both sides of the argument, a series of diverse Christian revivals are now underway through the world. What this will mean is unclear, but that they are happening is increasingly obvious.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.