Christmas VS. Easter

The Big Deal:

The Christmas season is the undisputed heavy weight champion of holidays in the US. For proof of that assertion just go to Wal Mart in mid October. The Christmas promotions are in full swing earlier and earlier every year.

From a commercial standpoint and overall societal emphasis - Christmas is the big dog.

What about Easter? It does get some promotional considerations, but it is not nearly as big a deal. Have you ever noticed that? I have.

Easter is commercialized. Stores look for anyway they can to get a buck. The markets are closed for Good Friday. But, there is a two week break at Christmas. Schools are closed, people are on vacation. There are Christmas parties, specials, and all kinds of activities that take place for about 6 weeks.

Why? Let me delve into some social analysis.

First, I am not dealing with biblical/spiritual reasons just yet. I know that America's fascination with Christmas is not on a true/biblical/spiritual level. I am making general observations.

Second, Christmas should be a big deal. Especially for us Christ followers. It should be more than what our society has turned it into. I want Christmas to be a big deal, I also want Easter to be a big deal.

#3 Christmas falls at a strategic point in our yearly calendar. The end of one year and beginning of another makes it a good time to have a break. It is also the middle of the school year. Easter being in the spring makes that time more difficult to take as much time off.

#4 Christmas is the same time each year. Easter is different every year. There is a complicated formula for determining when Easter Sunday will fall. That gives an edge to Christmas.

I think there are other reasons that Christmas is so grand in our society(tradition, etc.). What I really want to address is why Easter is not so grand.

There will be a commercial push. You will see Easter bunnies, eggs, and the like appear in the stores. But, it is so small comparatively to Christmas.

I think the reason why is because the cross is offensive. Galatians 5:15. The word of the cross is folly. 1 Corinthians 1:18.

A baby in a manger is cute. Let's make figurines, books, pictures about a little baby and his loving family. Throw in some cute sheep, a camel, and a donkey and we've got a precious story.

Put a man on a cross, bleeding, gasping for breath, dying for sin - people want to stay away from that. We can celebrate a baby, but a bloody execution? No thanks. That is the attitude that has led to the difference between Christmas and Easter.

What we need to keep in mind is that Christmas is for the purpose of Easter. Christmas comes so Easter can follow. The purpose for the birth of the little baby was so that baby could grow, live and die on a cross. Take away Easter and Christmas is nothing all that special.

The cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to those being saved it is the power of God. Embrace the cross of the Christ child this Christmas and you will be head and shoulders beyond were the majority of society has placed itself.

For more on the connection between Christmas and Easter read Hebrews 2:10-18.