Let’s Take Back Our Christmas!

by Letters Editor · January 16, 2018

Tony Meehan, Cape Town – Those who are serious about celebrating the birth of Christ, in a meaningful way, should consider leaving December 25 to the pagans and atheists. Let them have their fun and merriment on their “happy holidays” but refrain from hijacking our very important feast.

The Church practises the transferring of holy days. Those falling in the week could be moved to a Sunday, thus allowing for more of the faithful to celebrate the particular day without the weekday pressures of work and other obligations.

Is it not time that the Church and other Christian communities withdraw from the crazy, chaotic commercial celebrations of December 25? In spite of a campaign some years ago to “put Christ back into Christmas”, the opposite has occurred.

Since the Church has already provided for the transferring of feasts, and because there is no definitive evidence that Jesus was born on December 25, moving Christmas Day should not pose any problems.

I would suggest that a major campaign be launched, throughout the world, so that no Catholic, and hopefully no other Christian, continues to celebrate Christmas on December 25.

Statesmen/Stateswomen for God

Now that the pope is on good terms with the Lutherans and most other Christians, it is time to stand together and become statesmen/stateswomen for God. A summit should be called to address the issue of formally and internationally “putting Christ back into Christmas”.

Perhaps, the first Sunday after January 3 would be suitable. One would need to get away from the New Year celebrations. This, of course, would mean that the feast of the Epiphany might also need to be transferred to the next Sunday. As this is already being done in many countries, including in the Southern African region, this should not be a problem.

How wonderful it would be if we Christians could relax and enjoy the “happy holidays” with the rest of the world and then celebrate our Saviour’s birth in a more-fitting, holy way, on our very own Christmas Day!