What does Christ have to do with Christmas? Many religious conservatives complain that modern liberalism and secularism have driven Christ from Christmas, but if we take a closer look at how Christmas is celebrated in modern America we find that there wasn't much of Christ there to begin with. What's there to "defend"? Maybe Christ hasn't really been an integral part of the American Christmas for a long time. Read more...

Christmas is prevalent throughout American culture. Everywhere you go, you can find Christmas greetings, Christmas decorations, Christmas displays, Christmas advertisements and more. All over people experience social and cultural pressures to "conform" and adopt this traditionally Christian holiday as their own, regardless of what their actual religious or cultural beliefs are. How can a secular, non-religious family cope with the political, religious, and consumer pressures being created?

 

Book of the Week: A Solstice Tree for Jenny

The most popular symbol of Christmas, except perhaps for Santa Claus, may also be the least Christian: the Christmas Tree. Originally derived from pagan religious celebrations in Europe, the Christmas Tree was adopted by Christianity but never entirely at home in it. Today the Christmas Tree can be a completely secular symbol of Christmas celebrations. It's curious that Christians latch on to it as if it where inherently Christian.

 

Read Article: Oh, Christmas Tree: Christmas Tree as a Secular Symbol of a Secular Christmas

Is American politics following American culture by creating images and ideas that have no basis in reality? Postmodernist critiques of American culture as creating "imitation reality" that determines "real reality" may start being applicable to American politics as well, not to mention American culture. Christmas is an excellent example of how an imitation reality can determine people's perception of "real reality" for two reasons.

First, so much of the "nostalgia" associated with Christmas is manufactured nostalgia -- and manufactured by corporations trying to separate you from your money while getting you to believe that this hyper-commercialism is inherent to Christimas. Second, so much of the symbols, practices, and traditions we associate with Christmas was also manufactured in recent history, often by corporations which were once again trying to sell things. Read more...