Let's re-invent our Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching, and already there is so much heat on how best to celebrate the season in modern-day Kenya and Africa.

Perhaps a similar, online debate by Christians in the United Kingdom, a measure of what so many of us in today's Africa crave to be like - at least in so far as culture is concerned, could provide some insight into the matter.

"Here in the UK that means BIG TIME commercialism. Has anyone got any thoughts, ideas and traditions on how we can reclaim Christmas from the greed, over-indulgence, and tinsel-ization?" Someone asks.

A kind soul replies:

"I do not think that we should be too concerned about the commercialism of Christmas. For many people Christmas, like Easter, is for going to Church (once or twice) a year; a social event with a theme which coincides with the celebrations."

"For many people, Christmas is not about Jesus Christ. Do we stop Christmas celebrations? No. This is the time when the Church ought to have the most challenging and competing message."

"Let the Church stand up to the challenge of commercial spiritualism and speak about the theistic spiritualism of Christmas celebrations. The Church must get people to realize their need for spiritual fulfillment; then Christmas celebrations will be a glorious occasion."

Another word on the same, this time round from another writer:

"Yes - don't have a problem about any of that. The only question is HOW? More to the point: 1. How do we get past the tinselization of Christmas that often occurs in our churches at this time? What I mean is, all too often it's "ahh, it's for the kids...look at them all dressed up in their tea towels as shepherds."

So although the UK sees more people come to church at Christmas than at any other time of year, it also sees fewer conversions!

2. How do we, as individuals and families, make sure that we are not buying into the secular values that seem to underpin a lot of Christmas, and make sure we have a properly Christian Christmas?"

Should this discussion mean anything to us as a community of believers in Africa at this moment in time?

A blessed Christmas, and let's meet again in the New Year, God willing.

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