Deep Dive: The Meaning of Christmas

• Uncategorized

November 18, 2021

To many, Christmas time brings images of beautifully decorated Christmas trees, piles of desserts and treats, and stockings stuffed to the brim with carefully wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes. For many families, however, their Christmas celebrations cannot not live up to the commercial expectations of the season. The Great Depression, through the collapse of the stock market and banking systems in the 1930s led to a universally felt recession. Families at every income level across America found themselves struggling to put food on the table, let alone make ends meet.

In those times, Christmas took on a new meaning. Families did not gather around the Christmas tree, if they even had one, to open presents and assess gifts. Parents, grandparents, children, siblings got together in gratitude for what they had and for the ability to celebrate together. The ‘normal’ gift a child would receive on Christmas during this time was a stocking that included an orange, a handful of nuts, and a little bit of candy if you were lucky. Their Christmas dinner did not consist of a wide array of decadent dishes; instead, they ate the simple meals that were offered at soup kitchens or were easy to make with the limited ingredients they could afford.

When imagining Christmas decorations, images of bright lights, glittery ornaments, and stunning displays of green and red come to mind. During the Great Depression, however, Charlie Brown’s tree is more representative of the times. The only elaborate decorations were found at the large retail stores, seemingly unaware of the middle classes’ impoverished state.

It is difficult to imagine, in our modern times of televised Christmas parades, with delicately decorated Christmas trees lining the streets, and perfectly wrapped presents, that the Christmas magic could persevere through the lack of material wealth. While no one wishes for another widespread recession, the recent isolation of COVID-19 served as a reminder that Christmas joy can thrive despite unprecedented circumstance. It is not the methodology or price tags of traditions that create lasting memories. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the commerciality and stresses of the season to get the perfect gift, have the most beautiful tree, and get the best Instagram worthy snapshot of the holiday.

Christmas is ultimately a time to reflect on the birth of our Savior. The One who loved first. The One who reached and respected those who were always forgotten. The One who would later suffer a sinner’s death for us while never having sinned Himself. The One who continues to love us and walk with us generations later.

While the Christmas season generates beautiful landscapes and decorations, let us not get wrapped up in the superficial allure and forget to praise our God for gifting us our Savior. The magic of the season does not come through glitter or ribbon, but through one birth in a random manger in Bethlehem.

At Coffeehouse this year, we hope to encapsulate the pure joy of Christmas that only comes through the celebration of Jesus Christ. Through our theme, we hope to highlight the small nostalgic details of Christmastime that do not get a primetime commercial spotlight. Christmas is merry, not through the lights wrapped around pine leaves or ribbons tied perfectly around wrapped boxes, but in the small memories of cobblestone fireplaces and grandma’s tacky wallpaper that remind you of the unadulterated joy that comes with imperfect yet genuine family celebrations of our Savior’s arrival.

We hope you will join us on December 4th for Coffeehouse to reminisce on the true meaning of Christmas and spend the night appreciating the small things that truly make this season merry and bright.

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