The other day I was looking for a Christmas card with a Nativity scene to send to a more religious friend and I couldn’t find a single one. It was all trees, presents, Santa Claus, reindeers and even penguins. But no Nativity scene.
Now, it is true that Christmas since the beginning adopted many pre-Christian symbols, in particular the tree that came from Nordic culture, but it is also true that there has been a more recent push to completely remove all religious symbols from Christmas. Perhaps it was simply that as the culture became more and more secular, those elements slowly fell into disuse, although it feels more like an artificial push than an organic movement.
Symbols change, it’s true. The early Christian symbol was a fish (Ichtis), not the Cross. Santa Claus (Saint Nikolaus) didn’t always wear red nor lived in the North Pole, but was portrayed dressed more like a bishop. Most customs and symbols that we associate today with Christmas are fairly recent, from the late 19th century and later. But they do have a root in earlier traditions, even as everything became more commercial and the party became more about gifts and food than anything else.
And yet, without the holiday being about a miraculous birth, there is not much point to Christmas celebrations. I suppose some people still celebrate winter solstice these days, but it’s not really the same thing. What is the point of giving gifts if it’s just about the sun being at one place instead or another?
In Rome, where I visited recently, in the Basilica de Santa Maria Maggiore, you can see an altar that supposedly contains four slabs of wood from the original manger in Betlehem where Jesus was placed when he was born. Who knows if it is real, but it is a nice symbol and remembrance of the real motive of the celebration. The birth of Child, and the birth of a new era. Peace on Earth to all men of good will.
