Keeping Christ in Christmas? Yes, sure, I’m all for that. If you are Christian and want to keep Christ in Christmas, I fully support you. However, Christmas has become far more than a religious holiday, for better or worse. For that matter, Dec. 25 isn’t even Jesus Christ’s birthday according to most experts in these matters, and, of course, there are many who don’t even believe the guy existed. But that’s something for a different article. No, Christmas is so much more than a religious celebration.

Christmas is what we each make of it. Usually, it’s a time for families and friends to get together and celebrate, or fight — depending on the family and friends. More and more, we are travelling farther and farther to reunite with our loved ones in this globalized world. It’s a time to share, give, receive, love, drink, eat, be merry, celebrate the beginning of winter and enjoy life. Anyone and everyone can do this and that’s the beauty of Christmas. It is a rare time in the year when people pause to celebrate life.

Sure, Christmas has become extremely commercialized over the years, but it only has to be as commercial and filled with extreme consumerism as we let it be, right? It’s about beautiful songs, and pretty bows, and things that look and smell nice. It’s about watching cheesy holiday movies under a blanket with a hot chocolate and a bag of marshmallows while snow gently falls outside. Then there is going to the coffee shop and spending way too much money on a seasonal speciality coffee that tastes so good, even if it’s so bad for you — okay, that’s a bit commercialized, but come on, you have to spoil yourself sometimes, right?

There are little traditions families pick up along the way, that stay with them throughout the years, to reflect on and cherish. You know what they are; I don’t have to tell you.

I’m even getting a wee bit teary writing this.

Oh, the wonderful joy that is Christmas time; it comes but once a year, but it seems that, in some way or another, we prepare for it all year long.

I have visited many a summer market and picked up little things that I thought would make someone happy at Christmas time. Knitters start knitting their knitwear months before Christmas to get it all done on time to give with love to people who will probably never wear what they’ve knit. Crafters craft into the wee hours of the morning thinking of those who will be given one of their cherished crafts. And Christmas songs will pop into our heads spontaneously at any time of the year for any reason whatsoever, whether we like it or not. That is how ingrained into you Christmas is. We just can’t escape it and most of us don’t want to anyway.

So, for those who kept Christ in Christmas this year, I support you and commend you on your personal decision. I feel that Christmas is also secular; there is nothing wrong with that.

Everyone can enjoy Christmas, regardless of their religion, race, gender or height, which is why elves love Christmas so darn much.

Chris Hearn hopes that your Christmas was great, however you chose to celebrate it.