By YEONG XIU HUI
It is safe to say that as you are reading this, you have undoubtedly been exposed to a Christmas carol or two or fifty this year, perhaps at the nearest shopping mall that has already been decked out with Christmas trees and twinkling lights.
It is also safe to say that none of these ubiquitously Christmas customs or traditions were so ubiquitous when Christmas first was celebrated.
Christmas for Christians, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ; while it is not the actual date of His birth (which remains unknown), it holds symbolic meaning. Christmas for Christians holds meaning of a spiritual nature, but that does not stop Christians from also partaking in the more secular Christmas practices.
To non-Christians, Christmas has morphed into a catchphrase for cheerful partying and generous gift giving, all summarised into the idea of having so-called Christmas spirits. Shopping malls take great pains to come up with new themes for their Christmas decor, with interpretations becoming less traditional in each passing year.
For a Christian like me, it seems like the meaningfulness of Christmas gets lost in all the different translations.
I love watching Christmas movies and admiring Christmas decorations. I enjoy how Christmas is marked with its own unique festive cheer. I get disappointed, however, when people forget that Christmas was more than just giving gifts, receiving presents and eating Turkey.
Every Christmas show, song, story will somehow involve kindness, generosity and the whole range of goodwill towards mankind but despite all the good intentions Christmas is tied to, people forget that for us Christians, Christmas is all that and more.
I believe that a long time ago, someone gave His life for me. Christmas matters to me as a means of celebrating His birth. I do not expect everyone to feel the same way, nor even understand my thinking, but it would be great if the meaning is not lost.
But non-Christians are not the only one who seems to take the day for granted. Christians too are guilty for importing secular notions of importance to Christmas.
There are Christians who ask me about the presents and the feast on Christmas day without mention to it being the birth of Jesus Christ. There are also Christians who nod fervently while hearing the Christmas message, but proceed to snipe at non-Christians in an altogether unkind manner.
Thus, while non-Christians would take mind to not forget the meaning of Christmas to Christians, Christians themselves could also stand to remember the secular meaning of generosity and kindness.
Above all, Christmas does not belong to only Christians these days. I do not think that it is right for Christians to judge so harshly, lest they forget themselves in the process. Even if non-Christians do not share our symbolic interpretation of Christmas, at least they are using the day to promote happiness and tolerance.
It goes both ways, this need for understanding. Perhaps that’s what both our ideologies of Christmas spirits call for. To me, the Christmas spirit is exactly as the carol goes, “Peace on earth and goodwill towards all men.”
It is also safe to say that none of these ubiquitously Christmas customs or traditions were so ubiquitous when Christmas first was celebrated.
Christmas for Christians, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ; while it is not the actual date of His birth (which remains unknown), it holds symbolic meaning. Christmas for Christians holds meaning of a spiritual nature, but that does not stop Christians from also partaking in the more secular Christmas practices.
To non-Christians, Christmas has morphed into a catchphrase for cheerful partying and generous gift giving, all summarised into the idea of having so-called Christmas spirits. Shopping malls take great pains to come up with new themes for their Christmas decor, with interpretations becoming less traditional in each passing year.
For a Christian like me, it seems like the meaningfulness of Christmas gets lost in all the different translations.
I love watching Christmas movies and admiring Christmas decorations. I enjoy how Christmas is marked with its own unique festive cheer. I get disappointed, however, when people forget that Christmas was more than just giving gifts, receiving presents and eating Turkey.
Every Christmas show, song, story will somehow involve kindness, generosity and the whole range of goodwill towards mankind but despite all the good intentions Christmas is tied to, people forget that for us Christians, Christmas is all that and more.
I believe that a long time ago, someone gave His life for me. Christmas matters to me as a means of celebrating His birth. I do not expect everyone to feel the same way, nor even understand my thinking, but it would be great if the meaning is not lost.
But non-Christians are not the only one who seems to take the day for granted. Christians too are guilty for importing secular notions of importance to Christmas.
There are Christians who ask me about the presents and the feast on Christmas day without mention to it being the birth of Jesus Christ. There are also Christians who nod fervently while hearing the Christmas message, but proceed to snipe at non-Christians in an altogether unkind manner.
Thus, while non-Christians would take mind to not forget the meaning of Christmas to Christians, Christians themselves could also stand to remember the secular meaning of generosity and kindness.
Above all, Christmas does not belong to only Christians these days. I do not think that it is right for Christians to judge so harshly, lest they forget themselves in the process. Even if non-Christians do not share our symbolic interpretation of Christmas, at least they are using the day to promote happiness and tolerance.
It goes both ways, this need for understanding. Perhaps that’s what both our ideologies of Christmas spirits call for. To me, the Christmas spirit is exactly as the carol goes, “Peace on earth and goodwill towards all men.”