St. Thomas

Question: Father, why does the Church hate Christmas so much? We never hear Christmas music here except for two weeks. It’s not right.

Answer: The Church doesn’t hate Christmas. It is our holiday, actually. It has “Christ” and “Mass” in the name – we love both of those! (Christ and the Mass are pretty much the great things of Catholic life.) We don’t hate Christmas; we just let it be its own time. What you’re asking is a problem we face in society. We see people celebrating the Christmas season earlier and earlier, displaying Christmas items in stores in October and putting up trees sometimes before Thanksgiving. The minute the parade is over, the Christmas songs are played in stores and on the radio. Those same people often stop playing the music on Christmas Day. We, in the Church, are purists about our holidays. Each season of the year has its own unique beauty. To us, this is Advent. Advent has its own music, decorations, and customs. To rush into Christmas misses Advent and the joyful expectation it honors. We celebrate Christmas beginning Christmas Eve and continue to do so through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. If you want to listen to Christmas music in Advent, go right ahead and do so at home. In Church, we will sing the songs of Advent, preparing to receive the wondrous gift of the Messiah’s birth on Christmas. Then, and only then, will we sing the songs of Christmas. It’s quite right and fitting to do so!