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December 20, 2010
Christmas Traditions: Nonreligious?
Also, Focus on the Family shifts its list of Christmas-friendly stores.
Two new surveys that suggest that while most consider Christmas religious, their actions don't follow suit, Cathy Lynn Grossman reports for USA Today.
LifeWay's survey of 2,110 adults found 74% called Christmas "primarily" religious. And a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,000 adults found 51% say, for them, it's "strongly religious," up from 40% in 1989.
But what does "religious" mean? Not so much for a significant number of Americans, the data indicate. Most surveyed said they will give gifts (89%), dine with family or friends (86%), put up a Christmas tree (80%) and play holiday music (79%).
The percentages plummet when it comes to religious activities:
• 58% say they "encourage belief in Jesus Christ as savior."
• 47% attend church Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
• 34% watch "biblical Christmas movies."
• 28% read or tell the Christmas story from the Bible.
Ed Stetzer has more details on the survey Lifeway just released. In an accompanying story (where our Christianity Today International colleague Drew Dyck is quoted), Grossman writes about how Focus on the Family changed its emphasis on retailers.
Esther Fleece, 28, of Colorado Springs, who works as the link to Millennials for the evangelical Focus on the Family, has many friends less tied to faith.
"Black Friday has become a national holiday, and Christmas is like Valentine's Day with more presents," she says. Rather than hammer retailers for saying, "Happy holidays," Fleece was part of a group of under-30s who persuaded Focus to drop its "Naughty & Nice" list of stores that failed the "Merry Christmas" test. This year, the organization celebrates retailers who give back to their communities.
A few years ago, Religion News Service reported that the war on Christmas was becoming a lucrative fundraising opportunity for different advocacy groups. This year, Focus's Rising Voice website includes a map where stores such as Ten Thousand Villages and Heifer International are recommended by the map's users. The recommendations include "Organic, or Eco-friendly clothing and accessories" and "uplifting impoverished communities in the developing world through efforts in international tourism and trade," rather than Focus's previous emphasis on whether stores use generic phrases like "happy holidays" or "season's greetings."
Comments
I think what we need to do is simply "write off" Christmas. Why fuss and fight? Let the pagans and secularlists have their day, and we will have ours. Simple, quiet, celebrating our Lord's birth.
David, Red letter Believers, "salt and light"
www.RedLetterBelievers.com
Posted By: David Rupert | December 21, 2010 9:44 AM
I agree. I haven't celebrated Christmas in years. My 10 year old son doesn't really miss not having it at home because quite frankly, it's all over in the outside world for an entire month. And rather than buy him tons of stuff all at once, I just give him things throughout the year, usually to reward him for good work in school or for demonstrating thoughtfulness or other virtues.
It's hard to find a church, particularly in this part of the country which is dominated by Catholicism, that does not observe Christmas. Honestly, I'm fine with it as long as it's a commemoration of Christ's birth and doesn't go overboard with the worldly aspects of the celebration like trees and reindeer and as long as the teaching is Biblical--no magi at the manger or sermons placing emphasis on the day or season rather than Christ. Let the world have its winter seasonal holiday. I prefer "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" because I think it's wrong to use Christ's name as a brand on a thoroughly secular and commercial holiday (3rd commandment!). Let us just remember Christ and give thanks for his birth and his sinless obedience in life and his death and resurrection.
Posted By: Thomas | December 21, 2010 10:08 PM