The Paradox of Christmas

Christmas is the world’s most commercialized festival. Each year, around December, upscale hotels and shopping complexes compete on Christmas decorations, which feature anything from huge Christmas trees to colorful lightings to fake snowmen. In addition to this, many shopping complexes hire Santa Clauses and Santa Girls to distribute gifts to kids.

Christmas has also been secularized. Originally meant to mark the birth of Jesus, today it is celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike. While religious Christians would go to Church and praise the Lord, non-practicing Christians and non-Christians would participate in Christmas party and exchange gifts.

But here is the problem: religious Christians are unhappy. They are upset that Christmas has been commercialized; they detest Santa the gift-giver for taking the focus away from Prince of Peace; they demand that Christmas not to be written as ‘Xmas’.

Ironically, some Christians hate Santa but want to preserve the tradition of gift giving. They just don’t understand that this tradition was started by historical Santa, or Saint Nicholas. It is, therefore, unfair and irresponsible to exclude him from the picture.

How do you want Christmas to be? A secular festival celebrated by everyone, or a religious one exclusively for Christians???

Who hates this jolly fat old man?

Reference on Wikipedia - Santa Claus