Christmas - Why?

"Christmas is the time of year for giving."
"Jesus is the Reason for the Season."

Plus others.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  This is true.  It is a tradition of man.  This is also true.  Historically, the date was picked to coincide with the winter solstice in order to ease conversion of pagans to Christianity. Also true.

Depression, suicide, greed, avarice are especially rampant during the Christmas season. Why?  Jesus Christ was the greatest gift given to those of mankind who accept his gift, epitomizing God's love for us. He was selfless in sacrificing his life.  If we truly celebrate this gift by giving gifts to others why are so many people unhappy, depressed, etc. at this time of year?

The reason is apparent.  People are looking for their happiness, their self worth, their life meaning within a tradition.  Christmas cannot, and will never provide that for anyone.  Nor will the church, nor will eliminating Christ from Christmas, nor will making sure he stays in it.  Dr. Seuss, Hallmark, Disney, and Rankin/Bass won't do it either!  Man created the tradition not God.  God created man, man sinned and could not pay the price for the sin.  So God paid the price by becoming a sinless man and sacrificed himself by being subjected to a brutal horrible death reserved for the worst type of criminal.  It is in this that all those empty places within can be filled.  Not by some feel-good tradition.

That being said, is it wrong to celebrate this gift?  To have traditions of the celebration?  No, of course not!  Jesus liked to party too!  Read your bible if you doubt that.  But don't expect that ignoring the source of the tradition and paying homage to the tradition in and of itself will bring you that which you think you need.  It won't. It can't. Nor will any other tradition.

(Just as a heads up.  There are those who believe that Santa is a re-arrangement of Satan.   Wrong!  Santa is Spanish for saint.  Claus was a shortening of Nicklaus.  St.  Nicklaus (Nicholas) may or may not have existed but legend has it that he was a devote christian man who gave gifts to the poor and was especially kind to children.  Just saying.)

So, honestly, if you don't really believe in the source of the tradition, there is no real reason for you to celebrate.  You might as well celebrate the winter solstice instead. You won't get what your looking for from that either.

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