Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov-Dec/91

Contributor - Scott Molebean

Title - Christmas and Normalization

Topic - Tender Tips

Every so often Christians wish that Christmas could just be Christmas. Their desire springs from all the commercialization and overblown expectations swirling around what is now known as the Christmas season. For Christmas really is the celebration of the birth of the Son of God from the Virgin Mary. The Word of God became flesh. From that moment on God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (11 Corinthians 5:19). "When the time had fully come, God sent forth His son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galations 4:4,5) "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28) Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though He die, yet shall He live." (John 11:25) What Christians celebrate at Christmas is the coming of Him who, through His obedience and penalty bearing in their place, obtained for them forgiveness of sins, deliverance from the dominion of the devil, ultimate protection, assurance of eternal life, and a willingness to live for him (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 1)

To reflect on the grace of God making such salvation possible for people who by nature are prone to hate God and their neighbour (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 5) leads, of course, to joy and thanksgiving. All the hoopla around this feast day is seen as something abnormal. But what is "normal?" Are outside Christmas lights 'normal'? Some 20 years ago one Canadian family spent a few months in Scotland, including the Christmas season. They were looking forward to the Christmas lights coming on in the midst of that dark and dreary time so far up north. But there was nothing. Not one light. Suddenly they missed what they had often questioned as overdone and unnecessary. When is Christmas Christmas?

That raises the question of norms. What measurements, what norms do we use to establish what is proper? Recently I came across some definitions of the word 'normalization.'

1. Making available to an individual patterns and conditions of every day life which are as close as possible to the norms and patterns of the mainstream of society.

2. The use of culturally valued means to establish and/ or maintain, as much as possible, experiences, characterizations, personal behaviours, roles and social images that are culturally normative or valued.

What, then, is a 'normal' Christmas?

According to No. 1 it is a Christmas which comes as close as possible to the norms and patterns of the mainstream of society. So you celebrate Christmas the way most people around you do it.

According to No. 2 you use all the 'culturally valued means'to give your family and yourself the experience of a Christmas as is culturally normal and valued. That means you spend as much money on Christmas gifts as the average Canadian in your money bracket and you have the decorations and the parties that go with this season. If you can only have a few coloured lights in the house and a few Dinky toys for your children, then you and your family are deprived. That way you cannot really have Christmas the way the world around you celebrates it.

All this suggests that what was a normal Christmas 40 years ago would be a very abnormal one today. But all this also raises the question whether our culture should dictate how the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ celebrate Christmas. Maybe we should adapt the words of the prophet Elijah: "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the birth of Christ is the reason for Christmas follow Him: but if Santa Claus, then follow him." (compare 1 Kings 18:21) After the Lord God had shown on Mount Carmel that He is God, Elijah killed all the priests of Baal and the people had no problem with that. But apparently it is becoming more and more difficult for ministers to 'kill' Santa Claus from the pulpit, insisting that Christ alone be the centre of Christmas. Apparently more and more church people are limping along with two different opinions and enjoying it at that. I wonder how long the obedience to Christ will last when God's people allow themselves to be 'normalized' by the society around them.

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