Holiday Season Contemplation

Every Christmas season, Cindy and I begin a discussion on a question which never seems to get resolved. So, this year, I am going to blog on it and then post a link to Facebook. If someone could come up with a satisfactory answer, it would be appreciated.

There are actually TWO Christmas's which are celebrated. These are:

   1. Christ's birth: This is the REAL Christmas. This is the holiday
       which I celebrate. Christ's birth is the most important event in
       the history of mankind, as he came to die for man's sins. I bow
       to the glories of heaven for this, as I know I will go to heaven
       because of this sacrifice.
 
   2. The "Christmas" season: This holiday is a secular creation
       designed to act as a reason to give gifts, celebrate family,
       and have parties. This, I believe, was  probably part of
       the original Saturnalia, the pagan holiday that Christmas is
        "piggy-backed" onto (Christ was suspected to have been
       born in the spring).

With these two Christmas's (in our thinking), neither one is truly compatible. How can a Christian church mention (and support) thoughts and songs of Santa, St. Nick, Christmas trees, etc)? Doesn't this go against the very fundamental belief of Christmas as the birth of our Saviour?

We mentioned this to one person and they became quite upset at the thought of this. In fact, they were not aware that Christmas was originally a pagan holiday. Also, Christians get quite upset at the fact that people don't want to call "Christmas" Christmas; however, if they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, what would it really matter? Let it be called "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" Day because it is the saving grace from Jesus Christ that truly matters, not the name of the secular holiday.

This isn't meant to be a party killer. We get into the holiday spirit as much as anyone else (Ask John and Carole Lancaster. They've treated our family to Christmas celebrations every year for the last four years). We are just looking at the reality of it all.

So, here is the question: Should churches mix the secular aspect of the holiday (tied in with Santa and all that) with the religious celebration? Or, as Cindy and I have questioned, have we overthought this WAY too much?