Many Christians have become increasingly uncomfortable with the way Christmas is celebrated, both by Christians and non-Christians. Rev. Mike McKinney has proposed that we unblend (I prefer "disentangling") the Winter Holiday elements (Santa Claus, the elves, the North Pole, frantic shopping sprees, Frosty and his friend Jack, mistletoe, Rudolph, silver bells, hundreds of so-called Christmas songs which make mention at all of Christ, etc.) from the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Rev. McKinney is no Grinch or Scrooge. He appreciates much of the season's pleasantries, but believes that the birth of Christ should not be simply be embedded in these secular characteristics or tacked on almost as an afterthought. Even the common complaints about commercialization or talk of the Reason for the Season seem trivial when "the season" continues to be conceived as it is.
I think this is a serious proposal which deserves serious consideration. Radical, yes. Perhaps "impractical." None of the people with whom I have discussed it have expressed any interest because the current celebrations are so deeply entrenched. Christmas without Santa? Christmas without gift-giving? Christmas without hearing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" on the radio?" Unthinkable. What do YOU think?