In today’s society, Christmas is simply is not a Christian holiday anymore. This might be contradictory, because “Christ” is in the name, but I would argue that strawberries have the word “berry” in the name, but they are not actually berries. Words can evolve from their original meaning and shift to better fit a new age. People do celebrate Christmas to glorify and worship Christ, but that there are so many more reasons for people to celebrate it.

Christmas is commercialized. The original meaning from the immaculate conception of Jesus as a sign of hope and rebirth is lessened to nothing more than long lines on Black Friday for great deals and a fat man in a red suit. Big companies bank off of this season and make more profits than any other time of the year. The Christmas season has turned into bustling stores, holiday promotions and endless gushy commercials.

Christmas is about the spirit of giving. Even though I think that Christmas is overly commercialized, I love the positive change I see in people during this season. People are generally nicer. It is a time where we get to tell people how we feel about them and reach out to talk with family. People spend time shopping for the perfect gift for all of their loved ones. It is a time of giving back to the community. I see others volunteer for soup kitchens or go present shopping for less fortunate families or donate to local charities. Christmas is less about the story of Christ, but rather about what we can do to make others happy.

You do not have to be Christian to participate in the Christmas season. You can enjoy the Christmas songs and jam out with all of your friends to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” at full volume. You can enjoy all of the touching movies about this season, while you are all huddled up under bundles of blankets and enjoying hot cocoa. Seeing Santa Claus and spreading Christmas cheer around is something for all to enjoy.

So I would say Christmas is not Christian, not because I am anti-Christianity, but because I am pro-Christmas. It has positive aspects that everyone should feel included in. I am a proud supporter of this season and would never be ashamed of that, but I believe we need to shift our view of this holiday.