The Spirit of Christmas

Glenn Stewart Coles, 9251 Yonge Street, Suite 8-924, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4C 9T3

In Morocco he is known as Black Peter. In Japan, he is called Jizo. In Sweden, Jultomten, the Christmas elf, delivers presents with the help of his Yule goat, Julbock. He is also known as Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus. Around the world, people prepare for Christmas in their own unique way.

The Christmas story is based on the birth of Christ. Though we do not know the real birth date of Christ, the date December 25 was identified as Christmas Day in a Roman calendar created in 336 A.D. It is suspected that the pagan ritual of Winter Solstice, which celebrated rebirth, influenced religious leaders. Coupled with the legend of Christ rising from the dead, Christmas became propaganda for the new religion. Eastern churches, particularly Greek Orthodox, disagreed with the declaration, and chose a date in the first week of January.

Twelve days after the birth of Christ, the three wise men arrived carrying gifts for the infant. Epiphany is the celebration of the gifts brought to the Christ child. The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas and Epiphany. The tradition of gift giving may stem from the story of the wise men. In Puerto Rico, children receive gifts from the Three Kings on January 6th. Each child puts grass under their bed for the camels and in the morning the grass is replaced with gifts. Who is to say that this is any more ludicrous than putting out milk and cookies for Santa and his reindeer?

Gift giving at Christmastime has also been linked with the story of Saint Nicholas. In the fourth century A.D, Bishop Nicholas of Turkey was renowned for his generosity. He would often throw food and gifts out the window of the church to groups of hungry children. As legend has it, Bishop Nicholas saved three young girls who were to be sold into slavery. Hearing about their plight he crept into their house at night and hid bags of gold in their shoes. Today the Vatican denies that Nicholas attained sainthood or even existed, but the tradition continues.

In other countries of the world, Christmas is celebrated on different days. In Holland, Sinter Klaas arrives on a white horse, depositing presents in wooden shoes on December 4, the night before the birthday of St. Nicholas. Poland waits until the celebration of Epiphany, January 6th, for Saint Nicholas to bring gifts to the children. In the Philippines, the Christmas festival runs continuously from December 16 to January 6. Talk about Christmas cheer!

Much of our North American Christmas culture is based upon modern songs, stories and poems. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and the Grinch, are all recent creations. Even Santa himself was popularized by the poem ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ in 1823. The poem by Clement Clarke Moore, which begins ‘Twas the night before Christmas’, first described the Santa that we all know and love. In 1925, the Santa from the same poem was visually immortalized in an advertisement for Coca-Cola.

What is the true meaning of Christmas? The beliefs that are adhered to are different all around the world. Family traditions vary from house to house. What is common is the tradition of gathering and giving. Family get-togethers, dinners with friends, office parties and charitable work are all centered on this festive season. Christmas is a time to show people that you care.

During the reformation of the churches in the 16th century, some leaders tried to outlaw Christmas. They believed that the pagan ideas of evergreen, holly, mistletoe, gifts, and special meals corrupted the meaning of Christmas. We hear the same complaints today, as the commercialization of Christmas dominates the month of December. As you walk through a mall, you are inundated with Christmas temptations, all focused on emptying your wallet. Gift giving has become an expectation.

Is Christmas really about Christ? To the majority of the population, the answer is no. While some still honor the traditions of mass and prayer, most people honor the tradition of rum and egg nog. Though the dominance of religion has faded in our world, the spirituality of Christmas remains. The true spirit of Christmas is not about getting or giving but about loving. Feeling happy to be alive, feeling the joy of relationships, and feeling the pleasure of living in a world of peace. I pray that the world (and each of my readers) experience joy and happiness during the season. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Originally published December 2000.