What "makes" Christmas?

I have been reflecting on something this Christmas, which is, what is it that “makes” Christmas? What makes us feel the holiday season, like the holiday is complete? I won’t say satisfying, because as we all know, from a consumer perspective, Christmas is rarely satisfying. The over-commercialization of Christmas is what leads many people to claim Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday. But can’t we at least feel the excitement of Christmas in a way that is truly fulfilling?

A better question yet: what is it that makes it a good Christmas?

I’ll share what led to this thought: it’s the realization that, increasingly as I get older, life changes, and my family changes, Christmas now looks very different than it did growing up. I also realize I had the impression that Christmas has to “be” a certain way in order for it to really be Christmas. What does that mean?

Well, for most people, there are external signs of Christmas. There are certain movies that must be watched, and ornaments that must be hung. There may be a tree lighting you always attend, a neighborhood with special lights that you drive through, certain meals and desserts made, games played or walks taken, and even particular stores that you visit to shop. In other words, there are traditions. And the traditions are what make Christmas.

But what I am realizing is: that is not the case.

For example: what if you were in the middle of moving your house and didn’t have access to your ornaments or decorations? What if you had a sick relative in the hospital and didn’t have time to decorate, let alone bake, cook, and host? What if you just lost your job and can’t spend money on a real tree? What if you just simply didn’t have time, for whatever reason, to watch the traditional movies? These are all real things that happen all the time to everyone around us - or ourselves. But it doesn’t mean that Christmas isn’t happening.

Christmas is your call. It’s how you spend it, it’s what’s important to you and those you spend it with. It does not look a certain way, despite Hallmark movies and displays at the mall, or even what your past Christmases looked like.

Because, ultimately Christmas isn’t about any of these things. It is quite literally about the birth of God into the human world. It is the coming of the savior prophesied for thousands of years. The savior who, out of extravagant love for mankind, then went on to His death, for our sakes, and altered the course of human history and the meaning of life forever. It all began at Christmas. Really, it seems that the most important thing one can do is go to Mass on Christmas and give alms there and elsewhere. The rest is all a bonus.

So, don’t worry about how many decorations you put up, or how many treats you bake for the neighbors, how many people come to your Christmas party, and whether everyone has matching pajamas on Christmas morning. And certainly don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have all the things you think you should. None of this should be a competition, with yourselves, or others.

A “good” Christmas is one where we keep the reason for the holiday front and center. And if for any reason you are having trouble this year, simply take it to prayer and ask God to give you a good Advent, and a good Christmas season - the way he would have it, not the way we would have it.

And if you do have a wonderful, perfect Christmas - congratulations! Then, do as St. Ignatius would advise and treasure up the graces of this time for a future year when you may feel spiritual desolation because of physical circumstances. It will likely happen, and that is okay. It happens to everyone, because life is not perfect.

Latest article and radio: Scrooge, and new soon-to-be-saints

My newest article, How to be Like Scrooge at Christmas, is now up at Catholic Stand, and I’ve got it copy/pasted below.

Also, yesterday I joined Morning Air to talk a little about a very large group of French and Spanish martyrs who are now on their way to sainthood. You can catch that conversation here.

Only a few more days of Advent left!

How to Be Like Scrooge This Christmas

When you hear someone described as a “Scrooge,” that means miserly, miserable, and greedy, right? Well, the other side of Ebenezer Scrooge – the way he lives after he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future – is actually quite virtuous. From the moment Scrooge wakes up that Christmas morning until the end of his life, he demonstrates true Christian charity. How can we be more like Scrooge this Christmas?

Demonstrate Joy

Once Scrooge has his transformative experience, his entire being is consumed by joy. He leaps, he yells, he laughs, and he continues laughing for the rest of his life. In fact, he is so joyful that others find him amusing and even look down on his joyful abandon: “Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset.” His joy is un-self-conscious and driven by his sincere, newfound love for mankind and wonder for all God has created.

Demonstrate Generosity from the Heart

We lament the over-commercialization of Christmas and the emphasis on giving big, flashy gifts. But as Scrooge sends the biggest turkey he can find to the Cratchits, he is doing so from the heart, out of a real sense of benevolence, gratitude, generosity, and even playfulness.

Similarly, when he encounters the “portly gentlemen” that he mistreated the prior day who were raising money for the poor, he makes a large donation that includes “many back payments.” His gift comes from humility and a sincere desire to help and serve others.

This Christmas, give out of this same sense of your own blessings. Remember that while we love to give gifts to our loved ones, we can also donate to those in need. And remember, as Scrooge demonstrates, God loves a cheerful giver.

Be in Fellowship with Others

Christmas really is meant to be shared with others, and, deep down, Scrooge knows it. That’s why, after taking care of the turkey, he nervously makes his way to his nephew’s house to accept the nephew’s Christmas dinner invitation. If you are looking for fellowship at the holidays, know that you can be the one to organize a gathering. Be like Scrooge’s family and play games together, feast, sing songs, and generally enjoy each other’s company. Christmas is a wonderful time for sharing friendship.

Demonstrate Mercy

Scrooge also learns about mercy. When Bob Cratchit comes into work late the day after Christmas, Scrooge not only forgives him but invites him to have “a bowl of smoking bishop” and increases his salary. This generosity is arguably long overdue but, in Scrooge’s case, is still a big deal – because he has learned to put himself in someone else’s shoes. Christmas, of all times of year, is really perfect for mercy, forgiveness, and reconciliation. He also extends this mercy to the rest of Bob’s family, especially Tiny Tim, to whom he becomes like a second father.

Keep Christmas Well

Of Scrooge, the story ends that “it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” He became “as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man” as anyone knew. Ultimately, what stands out from Scrooge’s transformation is how he treats others: that he lives up to the Gospel promise that, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Through his demonstration of generosity, love, charity, mercy, and joy, Scrooge is truly one to emulate at Christmastime.

Interested in hearing more about this topic? Listen to my interview on Relevant Radio’s Morning Air Show here on how to be more like Scrooge.

New article tomorrow, radio Thursday

Catholic Stand will be publishing my article about why you really ought to be more like Scrooge this Christmas, tomorrow, and I will share that here when it’s up. Then this Thursday at 8:20 am eastern, I will be back on Relevant Radio to update listeners on a group of 200 French and Spanish martyrs who were just beatified. What a story! See how you can listen no matter where you are in the world, here.

A continued blessed Advent to all!