ABC Celebrates Alternative Christmas
Christmas was celebrated around Australia with most Australians spending the day with family and friends, exchanging presents and enjoying Christmas lunch and dinner. The left’s war on Christmas was a complete and utter failure with the major corporations and local governments embracing the holiday with decorations and Christmas messaging everywhere.
Of course, it has always bothered the left that Christmas is a Christian holiday that is recognised Australia wide even though one third of Australians now identify as non-religious. They also believe the holiday is discriminatory against those who don’t have family or are forced to spend time with family they don’t like and believe the is a festival entrenches privilege in society.
But the Christian link with Christmas these days is only a minor aspect. The birth of Jesus Christ and the nativity scene has been easily eclipsed by the folklore of Santa Claus, Christmas tress the exchanging of gifts and spending time with loved ones. There is plenty to enjoy about Christmas from a secular perspective but also plenty still to embrace from a Christian faith.
However, some non-religious Australians can’t get over the fact that the nation is embracing a holiday which is at its root a Christian holiday. This is something that our ABC is finding difficult which is why on Christmas Day ABC Radio broadcast a story documenting what non-Christians do on Christmas Day.
One family the Burrows celebrate the secular holiday of Festivus which was popularised by the sitcom Seinfeld. It is deemed to be a superior holiday because “It’s celebrating non-commercialised Christmas with no religion thrown in and no decorations”.
Instead of a Christmas tree you have an unadorned aluminium pole in your living room, sounds wonderful. Also, instead of family putting aside their differences you vent about your disappointments in other family members through the Airing of Grievances, it is the season to be jolly.
Interestingly it is non-Christian immigrants who find embracing Christmas in Australia the easiest. The ABC also spoke to a Hindi family who enjoyed all the Christmas decorations “It gives a festive mood. It feels like Christmas is around the corner and you have to be there”.
We are told that because we are a multicultural society we must tone down Christmas celebrations, but it only seems it is white atheists who have a problem with it.
The ABC also caught up with Sydney Atheists president Steve Marton who it seems is triggered by Christmas carols “They’re bred into us at quite an early age and a lot of them are quite nice songs, [but] it’s most unfortunate that they have these religious connotations that I don’t believe”.
Of course, nobody should believe that these people are reflective of all atheists when it comes to Christmas, most have no problem with the holiday and still embrace the festivities. It is only the militant atheists who can’t handle recognising anything which has a Christian connection.
Contrary to what the ABC has broadcast Christmas for non-religious and non-Christian Australians does not represent a challenge. Christmas will live on in Australia no matter what the religious make up of the nation is as there is too much fun joy that the holiday brings to so many.