Does Christmas Need a Second Baptism? (Pt.1)

A pagan feast was causing problems for the Faithful. Therefore the Church in Her wisdom decided to move a Feast of Faith, the Nativity of Christ, to the time of the annual pagan festivities. This is commonly referred to as the Church baptizing a holiday. For a while, at least outwardly, it was effectual. Today? Hardly. Latin reason dictates a “sacrament” to be effectual if there is 1) proper Rite, 2) proper intent, and 3) proper substance. Assuming, as this writer does, that something is again amiss, where did we go wrong? What should we do?

First of all, December 25th (regardless of Julian or Gregorian calendar usage) is not believed to be the actual anniversary of Jesus’ birth. The first mention of the Feast being celebrated on December 25th is in the Philocalian Calendar, representing Roman practice, in the year 336. It’s listed as: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae. The common belief is that the date was chosen to oppose the feast of Natalis Solis Invicti — the celebration of the “Sun of Righteousness.” [This title will be revisited later.] By the middle of the 5th century the celebration of the Nativity on December 25th had spread to the Eastern churches (though the Church of Jerusalem held to the joint feast of Nativity & Baptism, on January 6th, until the year 549). The Armenian Church still observes January 6th as Christmas Day.

The Christological controversies that raged from the 4th to the 6th centuries — on the Incarnation and the Person of Christ — no doubt contributed to the growth of the importance of the Feast.

However, according to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the popular observance of the Feast has always been marked by the joy and revelry formerly associated with the Roman feast of Saturnalia and the other pagan festivals it replaced. We Americans are influenced by the Feast’s development within English and German cultures. And … Charles Dickens.

For children it is a magical time of year. For adults who grew up within the culture noted above, its remembrance holds sway over all other feasts. The lights, the smells, the music, the climate, the trees, the silly outfits, Santa … there is no escape.

“There is no escape” can be awfulized into a sort of prison. The temptation is to overindulge in food, drink, and debt. The pressures surrounding the season are enormous. Obviously, given the roots of the annual celebration, this is nothing new.

What to do?

To be continued …