After a certain age, the attractions wane: of buying tickets for a raucous, crowded night in a local pub, surrounded by younger generations and bored waiting for some lesser skilled DJ to miscount the time till Christmas. Why does the festival continue to renew itself? Religious observance has declined ever more rapidly since the Second World War. Churches are filled by the old, the reborn and fervent converts from the South of our world.
Part of its celebration has linked days off work to family and copious consumerism. The festival is the premier day for gift-giving and parties; no other time of year comes close in importance or observance.
When the early Church aligned the birth of Christ with the holiday of Saturnalia, they hoped to build upon older traditions to cement faith (and show their celebrants they could have a good time too). Now the revolution has come full circle. The Christian trappings have been stripped away or watered down: what is left but a wish to forget work, drink a little, gorge on food and remember family. As I shall remember mine tomorrow!
But with fewer and fewer Christians, Christ will dissolve into an anodyne holiday....
Merry Newtonmas, one and all!
