Can Anyone Tell Me What Christmas Is All About?

Do you, like me, tire of people's attempts to define Christmas? "It's about love," they may say. "Christmas means peace on earth." Or, "Christmas is about giving gifts." Usually, the definitions omit the name of Christ.



While love, peace, and giving are all wonderful things, attributes which reflect the very nature of God, Christmas is not about us attempting to love our neighbor. It's not about us giving gifts to others. It's about God demonstrating His love toward us in becoming one of us. I can't imitate that kind of gift any easier than I can will myself to turn into an ant to try to communicate who I am to the ants, proving my love for them by living a perfect ant-life among them and choosing to die to save them from death.



Christmas is not about us at all.



In 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was aired for the first time. It's been viewed on TV every year since then. Not only is the show a classic to watch, but Vince Guaraldi 's musical score is one of my favorites. It turns out that the network executives expected it to be a flop.



You know the story line. Charlie Brown, bothered by the commercialism of the season, so pervasive that even his dog Snoopy is affected, asks the question: "Can anybody tell me what Christmas is all about?" Linus steps onto center stage, asks for the spot light, and quotes Luke 2:8-14:



And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men."



Linus finishes by saying, "And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." The show ends with the Peanuts gang singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.'

 
The producers did not want Linus to recite the story of Jesus' birth, convinced that viewers didn't want to hear the Bible read (especially the King James Version). Charles Schulz was adamant about keeping this scene in, apparently saying, "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?"



Who will tell the world what Christmas truly means? We will. It's up to us.