Posted by Helen on: 12.01.2008 /
My ex-church has set up a Christmas Survey webpage with the following question on it:
What does Christmas mean to you?
They’re inviting responses from anyone, Christian or not Christian. No name or email is required - responses are anonymous.
Feel free to submit responses on the church survey page (please be as civil as you are here). I’d be interested to read your thoughts too if you’re willing to post them here in the comments section.
The new pastor of the church, Todd, asked me if I’d post about the survey because that might increase the number of responses they get. I assume he realizes responses from readers here most likely won’t be from the church’s local community. (They might not even be from the US :))
It’s not a question I had an immediate answer to when I read it. Maybe that was partly because I read it during Thanksgiving and hadn’t begun thinking about Christmas yet. I’ve always liked how as a family we can establish our own Christmas traditions and decide what to emphasize at Christmas. I prefer when we have some extended family with us at Christmas because it makes it a special time. These are the most important aspects of Christmas for me, so I suppose the most significant meaning of it for me is that it’s a special family time.
I don’t know whether the church will post anything about the survey results online. The survey page says they’ll be mentioning them in the messages in the December church services (which will be archived here). If I find out anything about the survey results I’ll post a follow-up.
Comment by: Jason Horton
1Did you think of a response in the end?
I’m afraid I’ve become a bit of a Scrooge over the years when it comes to Christmas. It is extremely commercialised and media hyped. By the time Christmas actually arrives I’m so sick of the advertising, the crowds of shoppers (myself included), the waste of money, the stress, and the religions trying to force their own ideas of what Christmas is that I just shut myself in the kitchen and cook all day.
It’s a good job I enjoy cooking so much.
I also dislike the feeling of obligation that I have to family and friends to either visit them or welcome them into my home. It’s not that I don’t like them or don’t want to see them, it’s just that I don’t want to be obliged to see them. It takes some of the pleasure of seeing them away.
I know, I’m a Scrooge. Bah! Humbug.
Comment by: Elaine
2Christmas has changed for me - mostly due to life events. It caused me to re-examine why and what was Christmas to me.
Where I am today is the realization that for me, Christmas is about celebrating God’s gift to me/us - His son. I’ve tried to incorporate more advent activities in preparation for the Birth day. That as my children and now my grandchildren have gotten older - their gifts are more about things that will allow us to spend time together - taking them to a museum, a special show, a pottery class, etc. AND, we no longer exchange gifts with our siblings, we now pool our monies and give it to a charity.
Christmas has become more about serving and being with family. We spend time playing games and laughing. My husband and I go to church - a Christmas eve one if it is available.
Comment by: Duh-sciple
3Christmas means…
The arrival of Love
God himself embodied
The Message coming to us in Person
God transforming the world from the margins (Bethlehem) rather than from the center (Rome, Jerusalem)
The Almighty’s identification with the least, the lost, the left out, and the let down
Comment by: Elaine
4Duh-sciple - that was beautiful - thanks
Comment by: Helen
5Jason, I’m working on my answer :) At least you enjoy cooking.
Elaine, what Christmas means to me has changed over time too. Duh-sciple, I like the symbolism in the Christmas story, including what you picked up on, even though I’m not sure it’s true.
Comment by: Karen
6Hi Helen! Thanks for the blog comment and so I’m looping back with you!
This post hit me at a really good time. I have been thinking about it a lot. What *does* Christmas mean to me.
It held such magic and joy when I was a kid. As an adult it feels more like mania and responsibility.
I got to a point where I don’t enjoy it anymore, and that’s a shame. This year, I’m trying much harder to enjoy all the reasons for this season.
Thanks for getting me thinking!
Comment by: Bob
7There are two sides two it for me. It’s commercialism and family pressures — some of the things Jason mentioned too. I’m afraid I’ve become cynical about that aspect of it. People rushing around stressed out feeling conflicted. I don’t enjoy that part of it.
But when I slow down and think about the simplicity of Christ’s birth and God’s plan it’s always a time of renewal and hope as well. When I dial out the hype and dwell on the good news, I am also able to be joyful and share quality time with my family. It always makes me think of a new beginning and rebirth. I guess that sounds more Easter-ish but that’s how I look at it.
Comment by: Helen
8Hi Karen, thanks for stopping by! It held a lot of magic and joy for me too as a child. To some extent I got to relive that when my own children were young.
Bob (and this is in answer to Jason’s question to me also) I like the family time aspect of Christmas. I think that’s the core of its meaning for me these days.
Comment by: gecko
9To me the meaning of Christmas has changed over the years, too. I was thinking of the right answer for several days now. I couldn’t put every aspect in, it’s not complete and it may change anytime, but here it is:
Peace after a hectic time.
Silence after screaming Christmas-advertising.
Solitude after crowds of shoppers.
Feeling myself again after thinking so much for others.
Time after so many days with no time at all.
Cold nights with a closer sky (I actually love going for a walk, watching all the decorations others put up, being alone but not lonely).
Warm candles and time for cooking, sharing good food with people close to me.
Playing with the kids and their new toys.
Time to think over the passing year and to make plans for the new one. Finding out what we really want and what’s just nice to have.
Every year I sit up late at least once, all alone and quiet, all children asleep, gazing outside and I listen to the silence. And then I can feel it: God is real, He is almighty, He is near, and He made His peace with mankind. And I’m included.
I do have similar experiences several times a year, but in Christmas-time they are the strongest.