How Christmas Has Changed Over Time

“What is the reason for the season?” I constantly hear family and friends use this saying to remind people that Jesus’ birth is why we celebrate Christmas. Although some people remember that Jesus came into the world on that day, most people have forgotten the true meaning. Thousands of Americans just look at Christmas as an opportunity to receive presents, shop, hang out with friends and family, or eat. Retailers just look at it as a way to make extra money. Few people see the real meaning. Our culture has gone so far as to say “Merry X-mas” or “Happy Holidays” just to take Christ out of Christmas and avoid offending anyone. The way Christmas has changed over the years is displayed by the change in history, current-day U.S.A, and my own life.

Every time I read the Christmas story, I quickly notice how crazy Christmas has become in comparison to the first Christmas ever.

The day Mary gave birth to Jesus, God kept everything simplistic. Just two young parents and a couple animals celebrated the long awaited Messiah’s birth. I sometimes have trouble imagining that those humble beginnings have turned into the most commercialized Holiday in the world. For the first few hundred years after Jesus died no one ever celebrated Christmas. When people first observed Christmas, it quickly became mixed with pagan celebrations that had to do with the winter solstice. Now so many traditions have been intertwined into Christmas that many people do not even recognize the true purpose of it, or they ignore it. If we simplified Christmas until it was similar to the early celebrations, I think more people would see the true

meaning.

Christmas in today’s culture varies significantly from early Christmas celebrations. Instead of people celebrating Christmas like a normal one day holiday, similar to most other holidays, some people have transformed it into a month long frenzy of music, traveling, relatives, and presents. While some say America has forgotten the reason for Christmas, most people do not think Christmas is about the birth of Christ. Many think the reason for the holiday is giving to others. Manager scenes make great examples of this. Although thousands of people use manager scenes for decoration each year, including my family, few people take the time to reflect on its significance. Because of examples like this, the modern Christmas season has changed a lot, and not necessary for the better.

Many times the craziness of Christmas creeps into our own lives. I have personally experienced it multiple times. While my whole family tries to remember the reason for Christmas, we occasionally forget it, and our focus can drift from Jesus to presents. When society tells us the reason for Christmas is to give and receive gifts sometimes I have trouble focusing. Personally, we do multiple things to stay focused. My family reads a Christmas devotional advent calendar as one way to stay focused. We also always make sure to read the Christmas story from Luke on Christmas Eve. Focusing on what matters can be hard, but my family has done a good job of staying on track.

The large majority of people who celebrate Christmas have lost focus of its true meaning. Satan tries to steer everyone he can away from the gospel, and does not shy away from using a ‘Christian’ holiday to do it. The American culture has over commercialized Christmas to such an extent that some people have trouble recognizing its true purpose. Christmas celebrations take place for weeks, yet no one sees though the craziness to the real meaning. Christmas’s beginnings were so humble, and now it has turned into an extremely selfish holiday. Although people sometimes have trouble remembering the reason for the season, there is nothing more important around this time of year.