by Channing Denton

Created on: November 13, 2009

Most people, when asked about what the true meaning of Christmas was, they would say presents. Some might say family, some might say friends, and some might even sight their religious beliefs and say it's about Jesus being born. But most people, especially in America today, would probably say that Christmas has become commercialized, and that most people's Christmases revolve around the exchange of gifts. This is just not good.

Go back twenty years. Most people who were old enough to remember what Christmas was like back then would say that Christmastime was much different then than it is now, because it wasn't so commercialized. I was only a year or so old twenty years ago, so I don't remember, but I do remember my first few Christmases, and they felt so much different than they do now. My family and I would go see other family, extended family, and yes we would all exchange gifts, but that wasn't what it was all about. I come from a Christian family, and so every year since I can remember, we would sit around and read the Christmas story from the Bible, and would go around the room and say what we're all thankful for, and what we felt was the true meaning of Christmas. Yes it was sentimental and all that, but it was a really amazing experiences. It taught me that yes it's ok to exchange presents, but that shouldn't be the focus of anyone's attention at Christmas, not even children. People should be taught that the reason we even celebrate Christmas is because a Savior came to earth to save mankind. I know that there are so many people that aren't religious out there, but even they can acknowledge that the whole point of Christmas is Christ, hence the first six letters of the word.

But for some reason, big time companies like WalMart and Best Buy have turned Christmas into the biggest opportunity of the year to sell things, and have totally warped the meaning of Christmas from being a time to celebrate life, love and family, and made it all about buying people the perfect gift, and spending unreal amounts of money doing so. And somehow, we have arrived to the point where it isn't even ok to say Christmas! What is that about? If people don't like hearing 'Christmas', then they don't have to celebrate it! Is it fair that this country has become so politically corrects as to take away Christmas? If so, then we need somehow to get back to the basics, and make Christmas about Christ again, and family, and love, not about us. If not, then we may as well forget about calling it Christmas, and start calling it that one holiday where people buy stuff for each other and don't do anything else. I hope we don't reach that point, because Christmas means so much to so many people, so much more than material things, and I hope we can all remember that.

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