The Christmas time implies a series of customs and traditions in which the common people participate, however, the meaning that each person attributes to the Christmas it can be very different.
For the sociologist Antoine Fiallo, the various variants that have developed in the history of Christianity determine the way in which the Christmas and, above all, the way Christians live during the rest of the year.
There are many different interpretations that are made of the biblical story about the Jesus birth: the place, the family that surrounded him, the poor conditions in which he was born.
Fiallo understands that there is a conflict between the message of Christianity and the use of the celebration for commercial purposes. In this sense, he believes it pertinent to ask himself if he is ccelebrating the birth of Jesus Christ or Santa Claus.
“It is one thing for a person to have the belief that Jesus Christ was actually born and that resulted in a reflection on what humanity should do and another thing is the image of santa clauswho is the person who is going to guarantee that there is a certain life of spending and cost in society”, reflects the sociologist.
Regardless of the meaning attributed to the Christmas, a large part of society concentrates more on festive practices for the date. For this reason, the Catholic priest Gregorio Alegría asks not to forget that the Christmas It is a religious festival that commemorates the birth of the son of God.
He regrets that this commemoration “has become paganized and people don’t remember why we celebrate the Christmas”.
The correct way to celebrate it, according to him, is with the family, with the community of believers and “building a society of positive values, which are love, peace, justice and solidarity.”
The Protestant church has a somewhat different view of the Christmas. Evangelical pastor Edwin Rosario explains that the Christians in his congregation don’t really celebrate the Christmasunder the understanding that this is a pagan festival.
They prefer to share with the family, taking advantage of the fact that for the time being people are free from work and that many come from other countries to meet with their relatives. In these meetings the Bible is read. “That is the meaning that we give it, but knowing that Christ was not born on this date,” Rosario says.
The priest Alegría is aware that for the date on which today is celebrated the Christmas there was a pagan festival. However, he explains that the Catholic Church “baptized profane festivals into religious festivals.”
Regardless of the origin of the Christmasthis is a time adored by most people who associate it with a series of pleasant customs such as parties, gifts, abundant food, double salary, travel and so on.
