Dec 7, 2010
A grouchy granny routinely called the cops on my husband and his little friends when they were kids in New Jersey.
Their crime was roller-skating. These were good boys getting wholesome air and exercise, but she didn’t like the noise of metal skates on the North Bergen sidewalk and wouldn’t tolerate it.
I think of her whenever there’s another public crèche protested down or cranky anti-Christmas billboard put up. It doesn’t have to be your celebration – but why must you be so determined to sully other people’s fun? Do Christians declare war on Hanukkah or New Year’s Eve?
Pitiable as these sour notes are, I contend that grumpy Christians do more to “war” on Christmas than militant atheists’ insistence that no one dare have fun in front of them.
We are almost not allowed to be excited for the coming of Christmas any more, have you noticed?
At the first whiff of Advent, suddenly Christianity’s stern-eyed aunts emerge to tell everyone they’re doing it wrong. The Christmas displays are too early. And too tacky. And not religious enough. Someone said “Season’s Greetings!”
In the same breath, with heavy sighs, they complain that expectations are too high, there’s too much to prepare, there are too many Advent parties that would be better placed during the Twelve Days. Pray, Pray! they urge. Pray instead of shop, lest the world steal Christmas from us unawares.
They are absolutely correct, these Aunts, of course. The Church in her wisdom gives us Advent as a time to renew our faith and allow a sense of spiritual anticipation to build in our hearts to be fulfilled in joy at Christmas. Skipping Advent is a recipe for Christmas disappointment.
The Aunts might remember, though, that we’re to take the beam from our own eye first. It’s not necessary to fret about what others are doing – only to live Advent well ourselves and see if our example doesn’t make a quiet impact. At least our own homes will be joyful!
Here are two further reasons not to worry about commercialism.
First, “Black Friday” is not, as in confusion I once thought, a reference to the Great Depression. It’s short for “In the black Friday,” because most commercial shops operate in the red all year until Christmas shopping makes up the shortfall.
Scrooge can hate Christmas all he likes. He still needs it to thrive, whatever his private religious leanings. The Incarnation is in a sense the foundation and center of our economy!
This is not to say commercialism is not a vice: only that the Lord has a puckish sense of humor and allows himself these gentle ironies.
Another person who noticed – back in 1977—that Christians are now expected to denounce Christmas as tacky and commercial is Joseph Ratzinger.
Of course anyone who says that is quite correct the future pope admits, but he wonders whether the unnecessary gifts and maudlin sentiments might mask something more important.
“The sentimental framework often provides the protecting shield behind which lies a noble and genuine sentiment that is simply reluctant to expose itself to the gaze of the other.”
In other words, no one wants to risk exposing his heart – so we hide our love behind cards, decorations and wrapping paper.
This is the second point. Christmas frees people to love and be kind to one another without fear of derision. So we may want to think about how hard to denounce the shopping and gift-giving.
Commercialism does contradict the simplicity of a baby in a cave in Bethlehem. However, Cardinal Ratzinger continues, “Underneath it all, does it not originate in the notion of giving and thus the inner urgency of love, with its compulsion to share, to give of oneself to the other?”
Christmas is not a private feast to be horded for initiates while we scold everyone else for misunderstanding.
It’s God’s gift to us and Christianity’s gift to the world. Even its least celebration is a cause for joy.
Note: a portion of this column originally appeared in altered form in Faith & Family magazine.