by Kevin Hamilton

Created on: October 29, 2008

I've been alive for 19 years. I don't know how things used to be, but I have a pretty good grasp on how things are today. As long as I've been around, Christmas has meant pretty much one thing; toys.

I was raised catholic. I went to catholic school and attended church regularly. When Christmas morning came around I was not thinking about Jesus Christ, but rather, "Jesus Christ are all those presents for me?" Of coarse, now that I'm older I enjoy Christmas for other reasons. I no longer wake up to a pile of gifts under the tree, just a couple small things from my mom. Which is more than I would ask for. Today what I love about Christmas is spending time with my family. Its one of the few times of the year that I know we will all be together.

Still though, Christmas is ruled by shopping. Every year, countless people wait outside their favorite department stores. Ready to trample anyone who gets between them and that 52" LCD screen that's thirty percent off. When someone mentions Christmas, you don't think of Jesus. You might think of your family, you might think of Christmas dinner, but you're probably thinking, "Shoot, I still haven't gotten anything for Steve yet."

Sure, most of us have deeper feelings for Christmas than just buying stuff. But I know Christmas will never be, "just another holy day". God fearing citizens have become the minority. There were about twenty-five students in my class at Holy Name Catholic School. We would go to mass about three times a week. Now young adults, only a handful of us still go to church on Sundays. I'm not one of them, and I can safely say that most of those who do go, are only doing so to satisfy their parents wishes.

It will be interesting to see how that trend plays out. How many people from my generation will take their kids to church on Sunday. Will priests, like an old rock band, find themselves playing to half empty houses. Sorry, "houses of God". How will Christianity as an institution hold up. Christmas is done for in a religious sense. You don't even have to believe in God to celebrate it anymore. How long before churches are deemed unnecessary, and followers have to meet in each others basements as if they are having a fantasy football draft.

Okay so I guess I'm trailing off a bit. But my point is if you are going to take something you'd better have an army. And there aren't enough real Christians out there today to try to take anything.

Learn more about this author, Kevin Hamilton.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.