The True Power Of Our Artificial Christmas

Posted on by Todd Fulginiti

Christmas, as Andy Williams sings, is the most wonderful time of the year.

But why? 

As Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf might ask, doesn’t it “sit on a throne of lies?”

Santa Claus is a myth. Rudolph was created by a sales and advertising team. A few scholars debate the historical existence of Jesus. Same for the details of Hanukkah’s origin story. At least historians agree that Saturnalia was quite the party before it got swallowed up by Christmas.

Overall, our December holiday’s track record of authenticity is weak.

And yet, Christmas remains somehow real. It is meaningful, special and important.

Christmas is still king of the holiday calendar because, despite overblown commercialism, it’s at this time of year that we’re reminded to focus on the right things. Family, friends and loved ones. Empathy, compassion and goodwill. Gratitude, joy and happiness. Love.

Whether the structures surrounding Christmas are real or not, we make the individual and collective decision to participate. And it becomes real. December has a special vibe to it. That vibe is real. The intentions we set for the season are real. And they’re important. 

Through the December holidays we remind ourselves that we are capable of more. We can be our best and highest selves. We can change our attitude and our focus. We can remake the world. We just have to choose to do it.

What if we did choose to do it- year round?  Would we find Bing Crosby’s lyric in “The Spirit of Christmas” to be true? The song suggests that “it’s not the things you do at Christmas time, but the Christmas things you do all year through” that hold the holiday’s power.

I think we would find that sentiment to be as true as this wonderfully artificial holiday is real.

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For Todd Fulginiti, musician- visit www.toddfulginiti.com

16 thoughts on “The True Power Of Our Artificial Christmas”

  1. Thank you, Todd, for sharing this inspiring post! I agree, the more Beings that knowingly recognize Christ Consciousness or Buddha Nature within themselves, the better. Wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season. 🙏

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  2. I love your statement, “The intentions we set for the season are real. And they’re important.” That resonates so much with me. Thank you, Todd for the reminder and inspiration!

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  3. I agree with all your sentiments. The time does feel special. (Just last night my wife and I were out for a walk and looking at all the lights and other decorations put up by our many neighbors.) It also helps that we get a bit of a break from work. That’s a sentiment expressed by ye ole Working Stiff.

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  4. Keeping the Christmas’ spirit all year long would mean a lot of good things. For me Christmas is above all about peace and love. therefore at least all the wars waged by Christians would stop. This would the best gift I ever receive!

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  5. I’ve fought with my dislike of this time of year for a while and you pinpointed the why: artificial. Why can’t we take the sentiment of kindness, joy, giving, etc. to the rest of the year? Some people do, and I suppose those are the ones that aren’t artificial. Thanks for your thought-provoking post.

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    1. Thanks for reading and commenting Merielle! Like you said, some people do employ the Christmas sentiment all year through- hopefully more will join them.

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  6. An inspiring post, Todd.
    I love, ” It’s at this time of year that we’re reminded to focus on the right things. Family, friends and loved ones. Empathy, compassion and goodwill. Gratitude, joy and happiness. Love.”
    If only all of us could do this year around, what a wonderful world it would be!.
    Happy holidays.

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