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Pastoral Care Inc.

REFRESH newsletter: December 19, 2022

Theme: Jesus Christ and the Modern American Christmas

Email subject line: PCI REFRESH: Jesus Christ and the Modern American Christmas

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Jesus Christ and the

Modern American Christmas

by Jim Fuller

Since Christ’s humble birth in Bethlehem so many years ago, celebrating Christmas has taken many forms, from being outlawed by religious purists to the many excesses of a modern American Christmas.

Christmas has meant so many different things for so many centuries, but Christmas has always meant one thing, first and foremost, for all of us who know the true meaning of Christmas:

“I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people: There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Ancient Christmases

Ancient Judaism did not celebrate birthdays, which they considered to be a pagan practice. Since the original Christian church was predominantly Jewish, the first Christians did not celebrate Christ’s birth.

By the fourth century, however, the idea of celebrating Christmas had grown in popularity. In 336 AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine made December 25 the official day for Christmas observance.

Sadly, during the Middle Ages, Christmas became a time of drunkenness and debauchery. People would attend the obligatory Christmas morning mass, and then launch into a long season of reckless partying that would last until Lent in late February or early March.

When Christmas was Cancelled

For that reason, during the Protestant Reformation some churches denounced celebrating Christmas as pagan and fleshly and a holdover from the Roman church they had left. In the 1600s, Christmas was even outlawed in England for a few years.

In the American colonies, celebrating Christmas was taboo among Puritans, Baptists, Quakers, and Presbyterians, but Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans continued to observe the holiday. For a short time, Christmas was even banned in Massachusetts colony.

19th Century Christmas Revival

The modern American version of Christmas began to emerge in the 1800s, propelled by the writings of three popular authors of that day.

• In 1809, short-story writer Washington Irving wrote about St. Nicholas navigating a flying wagon, bringing gifts to children.

• In 1823, Clement Clark Moore elaborated on his friend Irving’s notion with Moore’s still-famous poem, “The Night Before Christmas,” which was originally titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Moore’s poem gave names to Santa’s eight reindeer and ended with the familiar declaration, “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

• Then Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 1843. “A Christmas Carol” added Ebeneezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim to our modern Christmas vocabulary. The story was massively popular, since its first publication it has never been out-of-print.

Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” solidified and greatly increased Christmas’s role in Western culture. Christmas became a national holiday in the U.S. in 1870. Today, Christmas plays a huge role in almost every category of modern American life, including movies, music, and the marketplace. In modern America, for two months out of every year, it is all about Christmas.

Great Opportunity to Share the Reason

Our family loves to celebrate Christmas. We love to decorate our home and to host Christmas parties and to exchange gifts with our family and friends. And of course, we especially love the special measure of joy and celebration we share with our fellow believers at church during this season.

Many aspects of the modern American Christmas have certainly gone way overboard. But I leave that battle for others to fight. I am not opposed to Christmas. I see Christmas as a great opportunity.

My prayer is that we believers take advantage of this time of year to turn people’s attention back to Christ. Who can object to us talking about Jesus Christ at Christmas time? Christmas is not Christmas without Christ.

From His glorious birth to our present day, Jesus is the real reason for the season. The Christmas spirit that we all feel comes directly from Christ Himself. America needs Christ more than ever. But they may not be aware of it.  What an opportunity for you and I to share with others of the real meaning of Christmas.  Who could possibly object for us to share why we celebrate Christmas at Christmas time?  This is the season for us to share Christ's love and His promise with others.

We at Pastoral Care Inc. wish you the very best Christmas ever! Thank you for all that you do for the Kingdom of God.

Pastor, if you need someone to talk during the holidays, please give us a call. We are here for you. Call or email Pastoral Care Inc.: 918-758-4147, info@pastoralcareinc.org. We are here to help you!