The *yawn* true meaning of Xmas

Here's a letter that was printed in the Western Mail newspaper on December 19th. It's the kind of letter that always gets printed at this time of year, by a Christian decrying the way people have forgotten the "true meaning" of Christmas.

The Christmas gift 

SIR – Many children and adults in our society will celebrate Christmas, but have lost touch with its true meaning.

They will not realise the significance of Advent in the Christian church, or why we celebrate Christmas. No doubt they would have heard of baby Jesus and some might know that he was born 2,000 years ago, and he was the son of God.

To some in our secularised society, this will be little more than a fairy tale. And if they understand little about Advent, and Christmas they will understand even less about Easter.

For Christians, Advent, (the four Sundays before Christmas) is the time of solemn preparation and hopeful anticipation of the celebration of the incarnate God.

During the Christmas season, we generally exchange gifts, and these gifts symbolises our respect, affection and love for one another. But let us not forget, God exchanges the greatest of all gifts with us: Jesus Christ our Saviour.

NORMAN PLAISTED
Newport, Gwent

My response was printed on December 24th:

A secular Christmas

Sir -

Norman Plaisted is most welcome to celebrate Christmas as he sees fit (Letters, Dec 19). If he wants to believe that the birth of Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas that is his right, which nobody can take away. Millions of people worldwide celebrate Christmas as the birth of God's son. However, a great many of us celebrate a secular version of Christmas in which Jesus does not feature, and we should also be allowed to do that without being told that we are ignoring the true meaning of the celebration.

Many of us have examined the beliefs of Christianity and found them wanting. We have not forgotten the 'true meaning' of Christmas; we simply don't believe in it, and choose to reject it.

Celebrate Christmas however you want, but please don't try to impose your own version on everyone else. There's plenty of room for us all.

Need I say more? Some people wonder why atheists celebrate Christmas when they don't believe in Christ. This is my answer.

If people who don't believe in Christ can't celebrate Christmas, then why on earth do people who don't believe in Thor recognise Thursday?

This same subject came up last year, of course. If you want to read my comments from last year on this subject, they can be found here, here, here, here and here.