Hope you Truly had a Merry Christmas, here in 2012!
photo by engagefamilyminute.com
Merry Christmas – what is the reason for the season?
It is safe to say that the overall accepted message of “Merry Christmas” is “peace on earth, goodwill to men”. Regardless of the religious part of the season, there is always an agreement that people will try to be in good spirits at Christmas time.
As we all know, most of the world’s Christians celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25, while the Eastern Orthodox Christian church celebrates 13 days later, usually on Jan 7. Regardless of the date, in both branches of Christianity, it is the observation of the birth of Jesus Christ.
More and more non-Christians are joining in the celebrations around Christmas. An indication of this is how Christmas is increasing referred to as the Holiday Season. Because many of the traditions and customs around marking Christmas in North America and Europe are not actually based in religion, it is easy for non-Christians to join in without offending their religions.
For instance, decorating the house with lights and garlands is not a religious act. Nor is exchanging Christmas cards or putting up a Christmas tree. While giving is considered a part of the religious celebration of the birth of Christ, Santa Claus is completely a non-secular invention. Most of the non-religious celebration of Christmas is driven by commerce as they bombard us with the message – buy and consume more. They are also responsible for setting high expectations of what everyone should wear, eat, give and feel at Christmas.
Christmas, whether we like it or not has become a major economic factor in many businesses. It is estimated that on average at least 25% of the yearly profits are made during this time. In some cases, the “Merry Christmas” shopping season will make or break a company.
It is now considered normal for stores to put up decorations and start their Christmas advertising as early as the day after Halloween and continue the theme through the January sales period. Their message is spend, consume and live up to the expectations of the season and they will do whatever it takes to align themselves with your “Merry Christmas” celebration with pre-Christmas, Christmas and after Christmas sales.
Here’s hoping that no matter what your religious beliefs are or if you mark Christmas in December or January that you have a Merry Christmas and enjoy some “peace on earth, goodwill to men” during your celebrations. Try not to set your expectations too high – no one can achieve the “perfect”, or Merry Christmas, and attempting to will cause more grief than happiness. One of the best ways to feel blessed and thankful is to give to others who are less fortunate than you now and throughout the year.
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