Finding the good in the dark side of Christmas

Given the topic of my column last week, it would only seem natural that I would follow it up with a discussion about “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Out of respect for those who have not seen the movie yet, I will refrain from doing so for a week or two because there is no way I can say what I want to say without revealing some major spoilers.

That being said, I want to take some time to reflect on Christmas, which is now upon us. It seems that every other year or so I write a rant about how bad the commercialization of Christmas has become and how the true meaning – the celebration of the birth of Jesus – has been lost. My opinion in that regard has not changed.

This year, however, I thought I would try to look for the good in the bad. What possible benefit is there to losing the sacred to the secular? Most people in America and many countries around the world will celebrate Christmas as a time of giving. Santa Claus will make his rounds and families will gather around the Christmas tree to open their presents.

In all hypocritical fairness I must disclose that we have that tradition at my house, too. I spent two seasons playing Santa at a mall and reprised the role in a church play a few years ago.

I will be the first to admit that the Christmas traditions are fun. I love exchanging gifts, going to parties, seeing the decorations and enjoying all the other trappings of the holiday. It is a good thing to give gifts and well wishes to others. It is good to spend time home with family.

Yes, it is good for the economy as well when we all go shopping to buy gifts, eat out because we are rushed and travel to be with loved ones. Those things are important and good.

Even though Christmas has nothing to do with Santa Claus, reindeer, decorated trees, stockings or fruitcake, those things do put people in a charitable or giving mood. That is a good thing. I think Jesus would agree. There is little that is more important for us to do in this life than to give to others. The giving of our time and our resources isn’t just what Christmas is about; it’s what life is all about. Christmas reminds us of that.

It won’t be long and the music will stop, the decorations will come down and the bills will come due. The cold of winter will set in and 11 months of normalcy will take over. The warm feelings of Christmas will give way to arguments over politics, religion, football and the sharing of Star Wars spoilers on Facebook.

Until all that happens, we at least have a month of glad tidings and a desire to make things better for our fellow man. Those are all good things to come out of the “dark side” of Christmas. It also gives many of us Christians an opportunity to share our faith and to tell others the story of the virgin birth of Jesus and how he was sent to earth to pay the price for the sins of man.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. Here is the big spoiler alert: Jesus would die 33 years later on a wooden cross for crimes he did not commit. Most people mistakenly think we celebrate that occasion at Easter. We don’t. That’s what Good Friday is all about. Easter is when Christians celebrate his resurrection from the grave.

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the greatest story every told, and I believe it to be true. The secularized holidays of Christmas and Easter afford us the opportunity to share this good news with the world.

So you see, there really is some good that can be found amid that which would cloud the real reason for the season. No spoilers here; just joy, peace and happiness. Merry Christmas everyone!