Merry Christmas

Season's greetings. Happy holidays. And of course: merry Christmas. You undoubtedly have heard these phrases, received them on cards in the mail, or said them to your friends, family, loved ones, etc. But have you ever stopped to think about who's saying them?

I suppose it doesn't really matter who wishes you a happy holiday. Christmas isn't the only holiday being celebrated this time of year. Hannukah just happened recently as well. Not to mention everyone celebrates the New Year's, so wishing someone a happy holiday is almost the same as wishing him or her a good day. Same can be applied to season's greetings. But the most popular one, the one you see on church bulletin boards, read in texts from friends, and most commonly hear wherever you go this time of the year is "Merry Christmas."

As a Christian, I should love this. But when a Catholic-raised turned atheist friend from school sent me a text wishing me a merry Christmas yesterday, it for some reason caught me off guard. I've been friends with this person since my first year of college. This person celebrated Christmas last year and the year before. In fact, this year this person even gave me a Christmas gift. Until I received that text, it never even occurred to me how peculiar it is that my friend, who believes in no god and certainly not Jesus, fully partakes in Christianity's biggest tradition. And then I began to realize how I have several atheist friends who celebrate Christmas.

And to be perfectly honest, it bugs me. A lot.

The more I began to think about it, the more it made my skin crawl. For one reason, it seems absurd. My friends, who are so bent on the belief that God does not exist and that Jesus, if he did exist, is no savior, why on earth would they celebrate Christmas? Don't they think it's highly hypocritical? Does this mean that Christmas truly has become a cultural tradition rather than a religious one? That anybody has the right to partake in the festivities? Or are they just trying to avoid the crazy Christians who are paying big bucks to have billboards up with messages that say "I miss hearing you say 'Merry Christmas' – Jesus"? Are they just trying to keep the peace and be kind, overlooking the fact they complete disagree with everything Christmas stands for?

Do you get what I'm saying?

It's frustrating enough to see Christians forget the meaning behind Christmas, and it sets me over the edge knowing that people who complete disagree with the entire belief system are enjoying the celebrations.

I know. I sound nuts. It's crazy that I am getting myself so worked up over who can and cannot, or really should or should not, participate in Christmas. And I have no room to talk. I still went out and bought gifts. I was still excited to wake up on Christmas morning to open mine. I prayed last night my thanks for Christmas after the service. But have I prayed today? Have I spent any time today thinking about what this day is truly about? No. I thought about what I could spend the money I received on. I thought about the clothes my mom and sisters bought me, and when to wear them. I have said Merry Christmas countless times today and not once did I think about the meaning behind it.

And I'm calling everyone else a hypocrite?

Earlier today when I thought about blogging out my frustrations I really wanted to take it out on my atheist friends who celebrate Christmas. And I'm not going to lie, I still do. I really want to lash out how it nerves me so much that they attack what I believe but then turnaround and get so excited for the holiday my religion created. It's almost as if they're mocking me.

But they're not.

The reason I am not going to lash out on how much I disagree with my friends is because of what I've been ranting and raving about for a long time now: the true meaning of Christmas. I don't know if I have it exactly right. But I think the meaning of Christmas is more than just the birth of Jesus. It's about God sending Himself to earth to make the ultimate sacrifice. The ultimate sacrifice is death. And the sacrifice of one's life is the ultimate act of love.

In a nutshell, I think Christmas, and Christianity in general, is much more than the complex religious system I have been taught and continue to learn about. I think it's much simpler than that. I think it's really just about love.

Maybe I sound like a hopeless romantic. Or a Beatles-loving hippie. But the story of Jesus' life, whether you believe it or not, focuses on the theme of love. From stopping angry men from stoning a prostitute to denying the devil, everything Jesus did was centered on love. And although Jesus has been gone for more than 2000 years, I like to think that some of that love still exists today.

My atheist friends aren't out to mock me. Instead they're simply celebrating what I consider one of the greatest events of all time. Sure, they're not really celebrating for the birth of God, but it's nice to know that they are enjoying themselves. It's nice to know that they find happiness in a religious event they don't even believe in. It's actually rather ironic. And gives me a small amount of hope.

Maybe Christmas is what I called it yesterday; an ugly beast focused on greed, impatience, and materialism. But despite all the negative I see this time of year, I greatly forget how wonderful it is. Christmas is able to bring even the non-believers together. I think that really says something. That people who don't even care about God are enjoying this day. The least I can do is love them for it.

During my pastor's sermon last night he said something about Christians getting upset over the idea of Christ no longer being in Christmas. He said it'll never happen. It's impossible for Christ to be left out of Christmas. And I agree. As long as there's love this time of year, Christ will never be kicked out of Christmas. Because Jesus is God (Luke 2:11), and God is love (1 John 4:8).

So to my friends, both believers and non-believers, I'd like to add just one more thing:

Merry Christmas ☺