Christmas

To many adult Americans, Christmas is the greatest holiday of the year. It is an even greater joy to many American children who eagerly anticipate the associated vacation from school and many gifts from Santa Claus. Christmas is a source of conflict for some Americans, however. After all, Christmas has its origins in religion and it occupies an important place in Christianity. In fact, the word Christmas, itself, comes from the words, Christ and mass, the latter being defined as the "celebration of the Eucharist," i.e., a formal act of Christian worship.

Although many Christians perceive Christmas as becoming a secular holiday, many non-Christians feel the oppressive crush of Christmas upon them, whether they want it or not, for the winter holidays in the U.S. Christmas can be a difficult time for those who do not celebrate the holiday because of its pervasive nature throughout the culture. One cannot turn on an American TV or radio station without being bombarded by Christmas carols (songs) or movies.

Granted, some Americans from non-Christian religious groups, such as Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims, do celebrate Christmas, along with many agnostics and atheists. A recent survey of California identified approximately 20% of the population as not being of a religion or believing in God.

A growing number of Americans, some who celebrate Christmas and others who don't, are appalled at the increasing commercialism of Christmas, much like the increasing commercialism of American life. Christmas, like many other holidays, has become big business. Nonetheless, for many Americans who celebrate the holiday, it is a favorite and special time of the year.

Before Christmas

For many years, the formal start of the Christmas season began the day after Thanksgiving. People would start to put their Christmas lights and decorations up, stores would launch elaborate Christmas displays, people would start to make and buy Christmas presents, and Santa could be seen around town.

Now, however, the Christmas season seems to start earlier and earlier with some people putting up their lights before Thanksgiving and some stores working on increasing their Christmas business before Thanksgiving ends. There are even many retail stores in the United States that exclusively sell Christmas home decorations; these stores are open for business year round!

After Thanksgiving, the Christmas season officially begins. Dazzling strings of lights are hoisted up upon streetlamps, building facades and around windows and they are all a beauty to behold. Some cities are well-known for their light displays. Almost every American municipality, in addition to state capitols, erects an enormous and decorated tree of lights. Some houses and neighborhoods are beautifully done. People often drive by certain houses just to see how the lights look that year. For instance, in Austin, Texas, a two block stretch of houses, where neighbors are apparently in competition to "out-wattage" each other, is quite famed for their Christmas lights. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, cars are lined up for blocks each evening in Austin, all waiting their turn to be able to drive down this stretch of 37th Street and see the elaborately lit houses and yards.

We won't talk about Christmas shopping here, but let's just say it is a bit in excess with some families spending money they don't have (on credit cards) to buy more, more, more!

Santa is ubiquitous during this time. He can be seen ringing a bell outside thousands of stores on behalf of the Salvation Army, an organization that collects money for charity. Santa can be found at every shopping area, visiting with children and hearing what they want for Christmas. And, of course, everywhere Santa is wearing his trademark red suit with white fur trim, black belt and black boots.

Sadly, children once used to all sit in Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Today, the number of children sitting in Santa's lap is shrinking due to concerns about protecting children from pedophiles. We are unclear as to whether this is an accurate indictment of the dangers lurking in American society or an overreaction on the part of zealously protective parents. Either way, America is not alone in this attitude. The Society of St. Nicholases in Switzerland has actually banned children from sitting in Santa's lap!

Children both tell Santa what they want when they see him and write Santa letters. Every year, the United States Postal Service received thousands of letters addressed to Santa at the North Pole. And then the children wait, and wait, and wait…

Christmas Eve

Finally, it is day before Christmas! Family from afar arrives for visits. Many people have already erected and decorated their trees before this day but, in some families, Christmas Eve is the designated special time to put up their tree. Some trees are plastic and some trees are real. Thanks to the abundance of many American Christmas tree farms (yes, they are called farms!) real trees can be purchased almost anywhere in the nation. In fact, most American grocery stores start selling Christmas trees in their parking lots right after Thanksgiving and continue selling them right up until Christmas Eve.

Americans who live in rural areas or who did so as children may have fond memories of hiking into the woods, cutting down a Christmas tree, and dragging it home. The cut tree gets put in a stand with a little water at the bottom to help the tree stay green and alive a bit longer. Then the tree is decorated with lights, tinsel, bulbs, and more. Some people string popcorn and cranberries, putting them on the tree. It is traditional to mount a star at the tippy top of the tree as the last ornament upon it. Wrapped presents are arranged under the tree, except for those from Santa. Some people have tiny trees that sit on top of a desk or table. Others have enormous trees that reach from floor to ceiling.

Sleep

The local evening news on many channels has a "Santa-cam" to track Santa's travel progress as he leaves his home in the North Pole. The Christmas Eve weather report is likely to include some sort of Santa radar showing Santa and his reindeer on a map. This is, needless to say, very exciting for children to see on the grownup news!

Lastly, let's not forget to put up our stockings before we go to sleep. Families with fireplaces hang their stockings from the fireplace mantle. Finally, despite much excitement, everyone does go to sleep, but not before leaving out milk and cookies for Santa. (That must be why he has those extra pounds?) Many people also remember the hard-working reindeer and put out some lettuce, celery, or other such vegetables for them.

Santa arrives

Finally, after the little ones are asleep, Santa lands his sleigh, parking it on the roof, and comes down the chimney. (We don't know how Santa manages this because he is quite fat and chimneys are skinny!) Santa leaves the larger presents under the tree, putting candy canes and smaller presents inside the stockings, and enjoys his milk and cookies. Then, taking any veggies left out for the reindeer, Santa shimmies back up the chimney and continues on to the next house. We don't know how he does it, but Santa seems to have enough time to visit all necessary homes of the world in just one evening, Christmas Eve!

Christmas morning

Children awaken early on Christmas morning and can't help but wake everyone else up. "Mommy! Daddy!" they cry, "It is time for presents!" (This is what Christmas is all about to many people!) In many homes, the unwrapping of gifts is a loud and fast flurry of strewn gift paper and boxes torn open everywhere.

Christmas dinner

But the holiday is not over. There is still Christmas dinner! Christmas dinner is usually something large, like a turkey or ham, baked in the oven. In fact, the traditional Christmas trimmings are not unlike those at Thanksgiving, with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Christmas is a time for American families to gather and celebrate. In the United States, celebrating and eating are usually one and the same! 

A note on chicken and Christmas cake

Sorry, we don't eat chicken on Christmas. That is not American! As for dessert, we usually don't serve baked cakes on Christmas. Instead, tradition dictates serving fruitcake. No one in the United States seems to like fruitcake so we're not sure why this is a tradition; it seems like more of a joke. However, Americans do love their fruit pies and those are also offered at Christmas.