Across the world yesterday, hordes of tiny little kids eagerly awoke to discover if Santa Claus had managed to find their house. The legend has it that Santa is a jolly, fat man who lives at the north pole and every Christmas eve he sets off across the world in a sled pulled by Reindeers. He manages to squeeze down chimneys, and he only leaves gifts for " good "little boys and girls.
Christmas is a Christian holiday that is celebrated by adults with the traditional Christmas dinner and the giving of presents. Here in Australia it falls in summer, but we tend to associate it with snow. It is a public holiday and almost all businesses are closed.
Unfortunately, Christmas is a busy time for the police. This holiday period brings families close together for the day and that often ends in friction. Call outs to attend cases of family violence increase as some people celebrate Christmas with too much alcohol.
This Christmas will be a tragedy for many families who have lost their homes in bush fires. Christmas will not be joyful for the many living rough on the streets but many charities provide a free Christmas dinner for the dispossessed. The spirit of Christmas envisages giving a helping hand to others.
Australia used to be a predominantly Christian country but each census more tick the " no religion " box. We have welcomed settlers from many world countries and from a range of religions and this mix manages to live together in relative harmony. Australia is one of the few world countries where religion is not a political issue.
Perhaps some misconstrue adhering to a religion to church attendance. Many people have not stepped into a church for years, except for the occasional christening, marriage or funeral. The numbers regularly attending church dwindle and yet those same people think themselves nominally Christian. If they have embraced no other religion then they are Christian by default.
Ticking that " no religion " box brings a danger to the freedoms we enjoy in a Christian society. If the Christian content of Australia falls to a new low it will be in relation to a rise in some other religion and that will encourage the adherents of that religion to demand the objectives of that religion take precedence.
Politicians are mindful of voting intentions and they study the statistics. As we enjoy this present Christian holiday we would do well to remember that it is our Christian heritage that is the base for Christmas and Easter and if we let that slip from our grasp it will invite change.
Perhaps a good reason to have a re-think when the next census rolls around !
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