CHRISTMAS.

Some Christians complain about the ‘commercialisation’ of Christmas. More generally about the emphasis on expensive presents, drinking and eating and having a good time. They say: these practices aren’t any part of the true meaning of Christmas.

So the question is: on the basis of what rule do they think that these things are not part of the true meaning? Are they saying the rule is that something can’t be part of the “true meaning of Christmas”, as it can’t be of Christianity in general, if it has its origin in something other than the original message in the Gospels? For example if its origin is in pre-Christian pagan festivals of one sort or another. Or in post-Christian accretions, like Santa Claus and indoor trees and expensive presents.

But then this would apply to the whole of Christmas, because the Gospels say nothing about Christmas at all and it wasn’t even a thing for at least the first 300 years of Christianity. So then Christmas carols and family gatherings are as contrary to some notional “true meaning of Christmas” as are expensive presents and getting drunk. If we persisted with the rule then the correct version of Christmas would be for it to not exist at all.

But this rule is too extreme! If Christianity is just what is in the Gospels then Sunday church-going can’t be part of Christianity because that’s not in the Gospels.

If we accept that the rule is too extreme and we are allowed to have, as part of Christmas, and of Christianity more generally, things that originate outside the Gospels, then we have to decide what we can allow. It can’t be just anything! But there is no reason why we can’t allow things that are borrowed from elsewhere. Including things that pagans do for their events.

If we allow that things can be part of Christianity that are not in the Gospels. I suppose we would have to say that yet they are not essential parts of Christianity. For example if someone didn’t celebrate Christmas at all but did all the other Christian things as per the Gospels, we wouldn’t say about them that therefore they weren’t Christians.

Unrelated point. If Christmas is the season of good will then what are all the other seasons? Seasons of bad will? Seasons of “not that much bothered really”?