Christmas changed over the years. But that’s not because someone wanted to rewrite it, as the changes to the festive period came over several years. A lot of what people think of as “Christmas stuff” is anything but Christ-related. Here are seven ways that Christmas has drifted away from Christianity.
Advent calendars became products
Early Advent calendars were simple paper designs that were meant to mark the days leading up to Christmas, known as Advent. A few versions would actually include religious imagery or Bible scenes. But you’ll struggle to find similar, faith-based ones in modern stores.
Instead, most Advent calendars are filled with chocolates or toys, perhaps even beauty items. We still have the daily ritual of opening a present each day until the 25th of December, but the focus is on opening something new instead of preparing for a religious holiday. The majority of Advent calendars today don’t have a single reference to Christianity.
Holiday hits became more about pop
There was a time when Christmas music didn’t focus on romance or parties, and Christmas songs used to have a genuine Christian message to them. But not anymore. Radio and streaming playlists have moved much more towards secular songs, and it’s usually the non-Christian songs that top the charts.
Songs about Santa and relationships are the most played ones on the airwaves and playlists. That’s not to say that Christmas music explicitly about Jesus’s birth doesn’t exist. It does. But they’re simply not the most popular ones anymore.
Christmas became “Santa season”
Many city events and school activities organize their Christmases around Santa’s presence. For example, they’ll have Santa mailboxes and Santa runs, Santa parades, and Santa photo days. But the problem is that these activities don’t require any Christian context for you to participate in them or enjoy.
They’re more like standalone traditions that have their own clear routines and expectations. In fact, many communities have begun using them to replace nativity scenes or church-centered programming. It’s changing what Christmas looks like in everyday public life.
Nativity scenes stopped being the only Christmas image
Try walking through most American neighborhoods in December. You’ll probably see lights and inflatables, as well as trees in windows, maybe a blow-up snowman, but you’re unlikely to see a nativity scene. They do still exist, yet they’re not the ultimate Christmas symbol anymore.
Nativity scenes seem more like a niche item these days. The majority of stores stock a bunch of reindeer ornaments and winter décor, with religious displays fall by the side. Quite a few homes seem like they’re fully decorated. It’s very rare you’ll ever see the important event that made Christmas.
Christmas language moved away from Christian wording
The way that people talk about Christmas has changed as well. You’ll hear people mention “the holidays” and “holiday break.” You’ll hear “season’s greetings,” too. But anything directly tied to Christ has practically vanished.
Most cards and Christmas-related ads rarely mention Jesus or even his birth. The wording is a lot broader so that it’s easier to use in mixed settings, and you might find that you go through without hearing the holiday described once in explicitly Christian terms. Sure, it’s meant to be more inclusive, but that really shouldn’t come at the expense of ignoring the reason for the holiday.
Christmas identity became seasonal instead of sacred
Christmas has stopped being a date for most people. It’s more like a stretch of time that starts whenever decorations go up, and people start playing Christmas music weeks early. Some people even put their trees up before Thanksgiving, and they’ll start Christmas shopping long before December.
Then it ends once the last gift is opened. The church calendar no longer sets the pace of the festive season because, now, the timing follows sales schedules and playlists. It doesn’t matter that the holiday runs longer because the religious side of the holiday has disappeared.
Christmas pageants disappeared from many schools
There used to be a time when you’d see kids dressing up as angels and shepherds for school or town events. But those pageants have disappeared in a lot of places because winter concerts have replaced them. They come with neutral songs and themes that avoid religious stories altogether.
Fewer kids get to experience the nativity story outside church. It’s a real shame because school was once where the Christian meaning of Christmas showed up every year for many families. Sadly, that sense of connection simply isn’t part of the festivities anymore.
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