I think it’s become increasingly clear that the weird, dysfunctional festival society calls Christmas has nothing to do with Christ but, as a Christian, I don’t get offended.

I realized several years ago that there is very little, if any, tangible overlap between social “Christmas/Xmas/Holidays” and our Christmas. Theirs completely ends when the last store door is locked on Christmas Eve. A few hours later, our Christmas begins and lasts for a few weeks completely unmolested. When the secular post-holiday depression begins, we’re still joyous. Theirs seems to get more ridiculous and over-the-top every year while ours maintains age-old beauty and dignity.

There’s definitely a place for theirs, though. It saves me a lot of money! If something breaks down or is on its last leg, I nurse it through until Thanksgiving, after which I can replace it for a fraction of the cost! It’s also a great time to buy needed coats, jeans, jammies, etc. plus to make sure that the less-fortunate are set with the necessities, too! And, of course, it isn’t “holiday” shopping so much as it is taking advantage of the situation, so Christians aren’t even pressed to come up with an intelligent, rational connection between shopping a lot and Jesus’ birth! I’m probably in the minority of believers who actually wishes the retailers wouldn’t invoke Christ’s name in their November and December activities.