Tuesday, December 23, 1997

America made Christmas the biggest holiday

Never was anything so doomed to such total failure as the attempt of the Puritans, fearful of popery and paganism, to eradicate the celebration of Christmas in America.

Three centuries later, Americans have transformed a minor and austere observance, a distant runner-up to Easter on the Christian calendar, that arrived with the European settlers into a national gala.

Something about the celebration of Christmas resonates with the American soul. Our fascination with the holiday grew as America coalesced into a true nation in the 19th century, when by happenstance a poem, a novella and a cartoon conspired to define a public perception of Christmas that continues to this day.

In 1822, clergyman Clement Moore penned a ditty to amuse his children. The opening, "Twas the night before Christmas," is now the most famous first line in English language poetry and the other verses laid out the legend of St. Nick, the reindeer-drawn sleigh, the bag of toys, the chimney.

In 1842, Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, a tale of redemption and reborn generosity that, with Tiny Tim's cry, "God bless us everyone," defined the Christmas spirit. True, Dickens was English, but nowhere was the book embraced more than here. Indeed, he wrote Christmas Carol after a visit to the United States, and as historian Penne Restad notes, "Only after his visit to America did Dickens begin to give large Christmas parties."

By 1881, St. Nick had become Santa Claus as we know him, with the belly, beard and trademark costume, thanks to a political cartoonist, Thomas Nast, whose normal metier was lampooning corrupt politicians.

Also at the end of the 19th century, Americans wholeheartedly adopted a custom popular in some parts of Europe. Only in America would you have such an agricultural entity as the Christmas tree farm or such an ornament as the National Christmas Tree.

Christmas is a massive commercial event. That's our way with holidays. But it is far more than that. Americans make heroic efforts to be with their friends and families for the holidays. Although it is a Christian holy day, we ecumenically try to include everybody in the celebration and to insure that no one, not the troops overseas, people living alone, the elderly, the poor, is left out.

The reason is we deeply believe in a message that predates the Puritans and transcends our differences: On Earth, peace, good will toward men.

Merry Christmas.