“Christmas in America”
The
picture to the left is found in Harper's Weekly magazine December 25,
1881. It portrays an American family beside a decorated Christmas
Tree. But what is Christmas and where did it come from?
I heard it said a while back that the trouble with evangelicals is that they are not deep thinkers. That seems to have stuck with me, at least it made me stop and think. So much of what I believe I never took the time to think about. So for a moment lets think about Christmas. We can't do an exhaustive study on any subject here on this blog, but perhaps we can spur our thinking on a subject from time to time.
Here's the rub, I have a Pastor friend who loves Christmas and all its Celebrations and Customs as related to our traditions during this season, I also have a Pastor friend who does not celebrate it at all. Both of these men love God and desire to honor him in their lives, so Christmas means something different to both. This has made me stop and think, what do I believe about Christmas and why?
Let me first state some facts and then perhaps we'll talk a little about them.
Roman pagans first introduced a holiday called Saturnalia, it was a week-long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. The ancient Greek writer poet and historian Lucian describes the festival’s observance in his time referring to human sacrifice, he also mentions these customs: widespread intoxication (still associated with Christmas for many); going from house to house while singing naked (perhaps a precursor of caroling); rape and other sexual license; and consuming human-shaped biscuits (still produced in some English and most German bakeries during the Christmas season).
I heard it said a while back that the trouble with evangelicals is that they are not deep thinkers. That seems to have stuck with me, at least it made me stop and think. So much of what I believe I never took the time to think about. So for a moment lets think about Christmas. We can't do an exhaustive study on any subject here on this blog, but perhaps we can spur our thinking on a subject from time to time.
Here's the rub, I have a Pastor friend who loves Christmas and all its Celebrations and Customs as related to our traditions during this season, I also have a Pastor friend who does not celebrate it at all. Both of these men love God and desire to honor him in their lives, so Christmas means something different to both. This has made me stop and think, what do I believe about Christmas and why?
Let me first state some facts and then perhaps we'll talk a little about them.
Roman pagans first introduced a holiday called Saturnalia, it was a week-long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. The ancient Greek writer poet and historian Lucian describes the festival’s observance in his time referring to human sacrifice, he also mentions these customs: widespread intoxication (still associated with Christmas for many); going from house to house while singing naked (perhaps a precursor of caroling); rape and other sexual license; and consuming human-shaped biscuits (still produced in some English and most German bakeries during the Christmas season).
A
quick search of this holiday will produce various links and
connections to which have adaptations to our Christmas holiday.
Saturnalia was a classical Roman Religion associated with feasting,
role reversals, gift-giving, gambling.
Because of such connections, the pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620 wanted nothing to do with the Christmas celebration. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston.
In 1659 a law was enacted in Massachusetts which provided that “Whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like... shall be subjected to a fine of five shillings”
In fact, as late as 1789 Congress was in session on December 25, which was the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday for over 80 more years on June 26, 1870.
There is record of a Christmas celebration in Tallahassee, Fla., in 1539, but it would not resemble anything like we would recognize today as Christmas, it was a strict devote religious service.
Because of such connections, the pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620 wanted nothing to do with the Christmas celebration. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston.
In 1659 a law was enacted in Massachusetts which provided that “Whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like... shall be subjected to a fine of five shillings”
In fact, as late as 1789 Congress was in session on December 25, which was the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday for over 80 more years on June 26, 1870.
There is record of a Christmas celebration in Tallahassee, Fla., in 1539, but it would not resemble anything like we would recognize today as Christmas, it was a strict devote religious service.
In
1674 there was a Christmas celebration in a rude log hut on the shore
of the south branch of the Chicago River. Father Marquette who, true to
his promise, had returned from Green Bay, bringing four large pictures
of the Virgin Mary for the Illinois Indians. At midnight, he celebrated
mass for sixty savages dressed in buffalo robes, and then they had a
feast: a big wooden bowl of porridge mixed with grease and fed each one
with the only spoon, fat meat of the “wild cattle” and, as a special
treat, boiled dog. Pardon the picture to the left, I thought perhaps
it might add some fervor to our imagination as we contemplated that
glorious Christmas menu that night.
There was quite a celebration at Fort Dearborn on Christmas Day, 1804. It had snowed for a week and the lake was frozen as far as the eye could see. A party of soldiers, led by Francis Ouilmette, had gotten a spruce tree from the grove of evergreens north of the Chicago River. Other soldiers had brought in a fat buck, wild turkeys, raccoon, rabbits, and prairie chicken. There was also a roast pig, a magnificent pudding blazing with brandy, and toasts were drunk out of silver goblets made by John Kinzie to President Jefferson and Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War. There was music by the fife and drum, and by Kinzie's fiddle. He and Mrs. Whistler, the captain's wife, led a reel. Black Partridge and his band of Indians, who had “drooped in”, did a corn dance while wolves howled outside the stockade. It wasn’t until the 1800s that Americans began to embrace Christmas in a way we might recognize. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia.
By the late 1800s America eagerly decorated trees, caroled, baked, and shopped for the Christmas season. Since that time, materialism, media, advertising, and mass marketing has made Christmas what it is today. The traditions that we enjoy at Christmas today were invented by blending together customs from many countries into what is considered by many to be our national holiday.
There was quite a celebration at Fort Dearborn on Christmas Day, 1804. It had snowed for a week and the lake was frozen as far as the eye could see. A party of soldiers, led by Francis Ouilmette, had gotten a spruce tree from the grove of evergreens north of the Chicago River. Other soldiers had brought in a fat buck, wild turkeys, raccoon, rabbits, and prairie chicken. There was also a roast pig, a magnificent pudding blazing with brandy, and toasts were drunk out of silver goblets made by John Kinzie to President Jefferson and Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War. There was music by the fife and drum, and by Kinzie's fiddle. He and Mrs. Whistler, the captain's wife, led a reel. Black Partridge and his band of Indians, who had “drooped in”, did a corn dance while wolves howled outside the stockade. It wasn’t until the 1800s that Americans began to embrace Christmas in a way we might recognize. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia.
By the late 1800s America eagerly decorated trees, caroled, baked, and shopped for the Christmas season. Since that time, materialism, media, advertising, and mass marketing has made Christmas what it is today. The traditions that we enjoy at Christmas today were invented by blending together customs from many countries into what is considered by many to be our national holiday.
So,
what's the purpose in telling us these things? I suppose to make us
think. Christmas is not a Christian Sacrament, meaning there is nothing
in Scripture that would compel us to its observance. Its origins can
be traced to questionable sources, and it hasn't been around in a form
in which we understand it for very long.
At its best perhaps it did evolve into something helpful for society in reminding us of the birth of our Savior and a time of bringing families together. But the more you learn of scripture the more difficult it becomes to find Christ in Christmas. Could one imagine the Apostle Paul asking, “was Santa Claus crucified for you?” When Jesus found those making profit in religion, taking advantage of religious devotions, He fashioned a whip and overturned their tables and drove them out. Is He as displeased with those today who take the Christmas Holiday and profit from our religious devotions associated with His birth?
Christmas has been a part of my life from my earliest memories. However, I have noticed the more devoted to Christ and Scripture I became over the years, the more of a struggle it became to try to point this festival to the Savior.
Rev. Robert Hallam in a sermon preached December 1844 defends the observance of Christmas stating: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.””The diversity is lawful and harmless. Observance or nonobservance is perfectly optional. The celebration of the day, with an enlightened, pious and devout endeavor to make it subservient to the promotion of the honor of God and the welfare of the soul, is a truly Christian service, such as Christians may fitly and profitably render; and such is acceptable to the Lord and redounds to his honor. And the refusal to celebrate the day, if it be grounded upon an honest conviction of its inutility and a holy fear of its perversion to sensual or superstitious purposes, is equally innocent and commendable, a Christian service also, and offering pleasing to God and conducive to his glory. Let not him that regardeth the day, despise him that regardeth it not; and let not him that doth not regard the day, judge him that regardeth it: for God hath received him.””~ Robert Hallam 1844
I suppose this is somewhat sound reason and can give some permission to us for its observance. The Scripture Rev. Hallam referred to is sound, it's application to Christmas could be questionable. But after all, how can celebrating Christmas be something displeasing to God? I think we all can answer that in various ways, one being, it depends upon what the celebration becomes and how the world views it. If it truly evolves into a secular holiday observance in the view of our society, shall we not lose our witness if we celebrate its customs as they do?
One might say, “always keep Christ in Christmas” yet in the celebrations they are caught up in the gift buying, party going, and dinner givings just as the world does. In most of our Christmas celebrations, it is all about us, very little devotion, prayer, and worship of the Savior occurs. A mist all these activities a word is cast out about the Savior, a nativity scene is put up, and a reason for the season sign is displayed. The casting in of those few reminders are deemed sufficient for us to say, it's all about the birth of a Savior as we join with the world in their joys of Christmas.
I suppose my ending comment would be, let us think and consider where our heart lies. Let us be honest with ourselves and what Christmas really means to us. Let us consider our activities during this time of the year, are they truly an effort to honor our Savior and glorify Him. If we say they are, can those activities and efforts find the support and direction of Scripture? For if Scripture is not our support, our deeds may appear good, but they cannot be considered worship.
May the Grace of God be toward each of you,
David
At its best perhaps it did evolve into something helpful for society in reminding us of the birth of our Savior and a time of bringing families together. But the more you learn of scripture the more difficult it becomes to find Christ in Christmas. Could one imagine the Apostle Paul asking, “was Santa Claus crucified for you?” When Jesus found those making profit in religion, taking advantage of religious devotions, He fashioned a whip and overturned their tables and drove them out. Is He as displeased with those today who take the Christmas Holiday and profit from our religious devotions associated with His birth?
Christmas has been a part of my life from my earliest memories. However, I have noticed the more devoted to Christ and Scripture I became over the years, the more of a struggle it became to try to point this festival to the Savior.
Rev. Robert Hallam in a sermon preached December 1844 defends the observance of Christmas stating: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.””The diversity is lawful and harmless. Observance or nonobservance is perfectly optional. The celebration of the day, with an enlightened, pious and devout endeavor to make it subservient to the promotion of the honor of God and the welfare of the soul, is a truly Christian service, such as Christians may fitly and profitably render; and such is acceptable to the Lord and redounds to his honor. And the refusal to celebrate the day, if it be grounded upon an honest conviction of its inutility and a holy fear of its perversion to sensual or superstitious purposes, is equally innocent and commendable, a Christian service also, and offering pleasing to God and conducive to his glory. Let not him that regardeth the day, despise him that regardeth it not; and let not him that doth not regard the day, judge him that regardeth it: for God hath received him.””~ Robert Hallam 1844
I suppose this is somewhat sound reason and can give some permission to us for its observance. The Scripture Rev. Hallam referred to is sound, it's application to Christmas could be questionable. But after all, how can celebrating Christmas be something displeasing to God? I think we all can answer that in various ways, one being, it depends upon what the celebration becomes and how the world views it. If it truly evolves into a secular holiday observance in the view of our society, shall we not lose our witness if we celebrate its customs as they do?
One might say, “always keep Christ in Christmas” yet in the celebrations they are caught up in the gift buying, party going, and dinner givings just as the world does. In most of our Christmas celebrations, it is all about us, very little devotion, prayer, and worship of the Savior occurs. A mist all these activities a word is cast out about the Savior, a nativity scene is put up, and a reason for the season sign is displayed. The casting in of those few reminders are deemed sufficient for us to say, it's all about the birth of a Savior as we join with the world in their joys of Christmas.
I suppose my ending comment would be, let us think and consider where our heart lies. Let us be honest with ourselves and what Christmas really means to us. Let us consider our activities during this time of the year, are they truly an effort to honor our Savior and glorify Him. If we say they are, can those activities and efforts find the support and direction of Scripture? For if Scripture is not our support, our deeds may appear good, but they cannot be considered worship.
May the Grace of God be toward each of you,
David
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