Why do we celebrate
Christmas? Where do these holiday traditions come from? Why do we celebrate the birth of Jesus when
the bible doesn’t tell us to? These are
the questions I found myself asking as the Christmas holiday neared this year. After all, this is my 33rd Christmas so it's probably time I figure this out. (Ironically 33 was the same age as Jesus when he was crucified)
In
America Christmas has become super commercial.
People fight in stores over toys and electronics shortly after devouring a
giant meal and talking about what they are thankful for. It has also become a
giant controversy because of 2 little words that come off as offensive. We say "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" so
we don’t offend anyone but then Christians get offended cause you didn’t wish
them a Merry Christmas (eish). The meaning of
Christmas gets lost in all the commercialization, materialism, arguing, and fighting.
In South Korea, Christmas
isn’t a big deal. In fact, it is a day
where couples dress alike and hang out, going shopping, to the movies, or
dinner. With the exception of some
churches rarely do you see the stores, streets, and people’s houses decked out
with lights and decorations. However,
this year I did notice more decorations when compared to last year. Also, one
of the malls in Seoul decided to do their own version of “Black Friday.” (Not
really sure how that went) It was nice to see more decorations but I still
wasn’t feeling the Christmas spirit.
That Faith Hill song,
“Where Are You Christmas” from the Grinch movie starring Jim Carrey kept
playing over and over in my head all month.
I was really concerned when I began to think how I have allowed things
such as presents, lights, trees, decorations, Christmas scented candles, a
nativity set, Christmas music, Christmas movies, Santa Clause, stockings, a
candle lit Christmas Eve service, and even Christmas dinner with my family put
me in the “Christmas spirit.” I decided
to do some research about how the holiday came about so I can better understand
how Christmas has developed into what it is today. Up until doing this research the only thing I
knew about Christmas was the story of Jesus’ birth and that it isn’t actually
Jesus’ real birthday. Taking the
research I found from several Christian and secular websites here is a brief
explanation, from what I understand, on how Christmas began.
At first, Christians were
focused on remembering just Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. By the early Middle Ages, (somewhere around
273 - 336 A.D.) Christian leaders in the western part of the Roman Empire had
decided to set aside December 25 as a day for celebrating the birth of Jesus. As
Christianity became the established religion of the Roman Empire, celebrating
Jesus’ birth on December 25 as “Christ’s mass” was adopted (around 1038 A.D.).
Before this the Christian church held an
annual feast on January 6 called an Epiphany to recognize the manifestation of
Christ to the Gentiles. The Epiphany
remembered the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem, the baptism of Jesus, and his
first miracle of turning water into wine.
Some Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches still celebrate this
today. Many of my Hispanic friends call
this “Dia de los Reyes Magos” or “Three Kings Day.”
If you think about it, the
ancient Christian leaders setting aside a day to celebrate Jesus’ birthday is a
no brainer. Annually we celebrate the
birth of our loved ones because they are special to us. As Christians, Jesus should be even more
special to us. What other event
throughout the history of time is more significant than the birth of our
Savior? It marks the arrival of
Immanuel, God With Us. He came as a
servant though he was Lord. His birth is
the most important birth in the history of mankind because it is though Him we
were able to obtain salvation. Without
His birth there would be no cross, no resurrection, no salvation. The plan for freedom, justice, salvation, and
liberty for all mankind was implemented on the day of Jesus’ birth, way before
July 4, 1776. (Hey, I’m American;)
In my research I also
discovered that some of the customs we as Christians celebrate are “secular” in
origin. I have come to realize that these
secular elements can actually add as good reminders of whom God is when applied
sensibly. (“The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains, the world and those
who dwell in it” ~Psalm 24:1) Things
such as the Christmas tree reminding us that Jesus is the light of the world,
Santa Clause reminding us that God is a giving god, presents to remind us of
the gifts the Magi brought to worship the King, and a candy cane that looks like
a shepherd’s staff or a “J” for Jesus when upside down, can all be used as lessons
to share the gospel with Christians and non-Christians alike.
This Christmas I
intentionally asked people not to get me anything because I have become so
disturbed by all the stuff I have. I’m
so insanely blessed beyond measure, why do I need anything more? This
Christmas I didn’t have my family or gifts under my tree. Yeah I decorated my
office and put up a small tree in my apartment but that was out of tradition
and habit. As I looked at these things
every day my heart ached to get more than I ever have from Christmas. In the past I would open up Christmas gifts
that people gave from the generosity of their hearts feeling so discontent after
because it wasn’t what I wanted or something was wrong with it, or the things
on my list that I felt were the most important, were forgotten. What a shameful, ungrateful, Christmas
attitude. As I aged that discontentment
grew into guilt. I missed out on the
meaning of Christmas for so many years because I was so discontent with things
I didn’t deserve in the first place and so distracted by the commercialization,
materialism, arguing, and fighting that surrounds Christmas in America.
This year Christmas
became more. The loneliness I thought I
would feel without family near was filled with the presence of Jesus in my
heart. The discontentment I was afraid
would haunt me another Christmas day was chased away by the joy I found in
praying for others and extending kindness and hospitality to friends who also
didn’t have any where else to go for Christmas.
So back to my first
question: “What is Christmas and why do I celebrate it?” Christmas does not celebrate the day Jesus
was born: it celebrates the fact that he was born. Christmas is about hope in a world that
desperately needs it. Christmas is Immanuel, God With Us.
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood
puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons. It came
without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and
puzzled ‘till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he
hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What
if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” ~Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Disclaimer: I'm not saying any of this is bad. It is important to do things in moderation or else all the small stuff can take away from the true meaning.
Disclaimer: I'm not saying any of this is bad. It is important to do things in moderation or else all the small stuff can take away from the true meaning.