More Virgin Mary, Less Virgin Islands

There hasn’t been too much discussion of the “reason for the season” this year. Nevertheless, I think it’s increasingly difficult to find the meaning of Christmas reflected in our Christmas cards.

Fr. James Martin, SJ, offers some humor and perspective for a discussion on Christmas cards. I have to say that I love getting Christmas cards. I enjoy the letters and I appreciate the photos that people send. I try to keep them in an album so that we’ll have them year after year.

That said, I do find it increasingly difficult to be reminded of the significance of Christmas given the trends in Christmas cards. Fr. Martin explains:

It’s the middle of the day, and I’m opening my Christmas cards. And what do I see when I tear open the envelope? Not Baby Jesus in his manger. Not the Virgin Mary. Not even the Wise Men. No, chances are the card will be a photo of a family on some beach in the Caribbean. Or a picture of somebody’s house. Or someone’s dog wearing reindeer horns.

There are easy ways to incorporate the family Christmas card with the meaning of Christmas. As Fr. Martin suggests, using a religious card with an inserted family picture still maintains the significance of Christmas. Some photo cards have options to include religious symbols. Families can also arrange their picture in a way that recalls the Holy Family or is set in a setting that does so. I know of one family that poses in costume to create the nativity scene. There are many ways to be creative; the point is to be communicating that the reason for the season is Christ and his love that was so great he took on our human form. He is God made man. That’s a pretty significant event.

To make the point, Fr. Martin gives this example:

Still unconvinced? Try a thought experiment. For your next birthday, how would you feel about getting a birthday card with my photo on it? “Happy Birthday! It’s a photo of me!”

Truth be told, photo cards are very easy and often economical. My husband and I used them when we combined our Christmas card and wedding announcement. But it won’t become a tradition for us unless we come up with a photo that reflects the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not about us.