In ALDI, I overheard a woman being reunited with her lost chicken and duck parfait. She was very grateful. “It wouldn’t be Christmas without this”, she said. I have a different idea of what’s essential for Christmas – Jesus, but I didn’t say anything. But who is right? By restricting social activities or shopping, would that ‘cancel Christmas’?
After all, there were midwinter festivals before people like me decided it would also be a good time to celebrate ‘God-with-Us’, Jesus. What makes Christmas Christmas? Is it the lights and the food and the booze? Or is it Jesus? FWIW I still think it’s Jesus.