Chiming in on the “Christmas Wars”

Thanks, Rick, for the report of Pope Benedict’s comments about the “pollution” of Christmas, and the connections to John Nagle’s work on “pollution” defined broadly as “unwanted influence.” 

In picking through some of the recent “Christmas Wars” press and in other more informal conversations, I have noticed a tendency to collapse two issues:  first, the commercialization of Christmas, and second, the cultural questions which arise in a pluralistic society with the celebration of a major religious holiday. 

When the two issues are collapsed, the dynamic in the conversation sometimes goes like this: I am going to insist on saying “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays,” and support public and statements and displays that focus on Christmas rather than a generic “holiday season” in order to redeem the true meaning of this season.      

It seems to me that it might be helpful to clarify that the “unwanted influence” that “pollutes” Christmas is not the diversity of faith traditions in our culture, but excessive consumerism and commercialism that distracts Christians from focusing—and perhaps even communicating to others—the poverty and simplicity at the heart of the message of Christmas. 

I was struck by the locus of Pope Benedict’s constructive solution to the “pollution” of Christmas —to clean up our own act: assembling the Nativity scene in the home—focused on passing on the faith to one’s children.  Not on insisting that Macy’s says “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays.”  And certainly not in promoting a cultural turf war which fails to acknowledge and respect the diversity of faith traditions, or is insensitive to the extent to which the very public displays of a Christian message at this time of year could make non-Christians feel uncomfortable or excluded.

Over the next few weeks, I will work hard to redeem the heart of Christmas by keeping a check on the extent to which consumerism has crept into my own attitudes and expectations.  At the same time, I will also refrain from wishing a “Merry Christmas” to my Jewish, Muslim, and agnostic friends.  Both, I think, are consistent with what Christmas is all about.

Amy