Celebrating the Savior in a Culture That Celebrates Stuff

In a culture that prizes gifts, decorations, and “holiday magic,” it’s easy to let Christmas focus more on stuff than on Christ. Romans 1:25 warns against exchanging the truth of God for a lie—worshiping created things instead of the Creator. True celebration of the Savior comes not from what we buy or wrap, but from hearts aligned with God. This season invites us to pause, examine our motives, and ensure that every tradition, gift, and gathering points back to Jesus.

Highlights

• The culture of consumerism can distract us from celebrating Christ.

• Romans 1:25 reminds us that worship belongs to God alone, not created things.

• Idolatry isn’t always obvious; anything that fills a void meant for God can become an idol.

• Practical approaches, like Scripture-focused family time, help center Christmas on Jesus.

• Gifts and celebrations are not inherently wrong but should reflect stewardship of God’s blessings.

• Examining the “why” behind our holiday choices ensures our hearts remain aligned with God.

• Thoughtful reflection and prayer can guide families in meaningful, Christ-centered celebrations.

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Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide

Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas!

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Full Transcript Below:

Celebrating the Savior in a Culture That Celebrates Stuff

By: Laura Bailey

Bible Reading:

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25 NIV

How to celebrate holidays is always a difficult decision in our household. My husband and I both grew up in a home where Christ was at the center, with loving parents and a godly extended family. In general, our families, at their core, shared the same values, but their approach to life, and specifically holidays, was quite different.

One of the most significant discrepancies is that I didn’t grow up believing in Santa Claus. In an attempt to keep the holiday focused on the birth of Jesus, my parents made it clear there was no big jolly man in a red suit bringing gifts. God gave us centuries ago the only gift we need,  in the form of a baby in a manger. And, any other material presents we received are as a result of God’s providence ( as stewarded by parents). Conversely, my husband’s family celebrated Santa Claus, the “magic of Christmas,” and played St. Nick on Christmas morning. Neither way to celebrate Christmas is wrong; both can promote the message of the gospel and provide a fun seasonal experience. However, it created a bit of a dilemma when we had our own children and were deciding how to approach the holiday.

Through much deliberation, we reached a compromise that worked well for our family, allowing our children to believe in Santa while also engaging in Scripture daily that focused on the birth of Christ. And, just when we thought we had it down, God blessed us with our third child on Christmas Day! I share this detail because, while we tried to mitigate the focus of Christmas being on presents, it became increasingly complex when we had a child who shared a birthday (which naturally receives gifts) with a culturally commercial holiday.

And so, if your family, like mine, is trying to keep the Christ in Christmas, as well as engage in celebrations with family members that involve gifts, let me offer the “solution” that the Lord laid on my heart a few years ago.

Romans is a book filled with profound theology and an abundance of practical wisdom for living a godly life. Paul begins his letter to the Christians in the Roman church by calling out the ways that they have allowed the culture to distract them from worshiping God. Specifically, they were worshiping the created over the Creator.  God hates idolatry to the extent that the first and second commandments focus on the concept that God is the only one deserving of our worship. He tells us that we should have no other God before Him, and we shouldn’t make idols. What’s an idol? Tim Keller explains it well in his book Counterfeit Gods, “An idol is anything more important to you than God. Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. Anything you seek to give you what only God can give. Anything so central and essential to your life that you should lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living.”

Paul tells us that the early church “exchanged the truth of God for a lie.”  We do the same thing today; the culture tells us that the answer to our problems is one click away. Yet, once we get the shiny new toy, it’s not long before that emptiness is felt again. The creation can’t give us what only the Creator can. 

This holiday season, think less about how you celebrate and more about the why. What is your heart’s posture? Are you using stuff to fill a void, to mask your emptiness? Or, are you stewarding God’s blessings over your life well? As we approach this season, may we be mindful that, no matter how we choose to celebrate, we always place God first.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
Take a moment today to ask the Lord to search your heart and give you clarity and guidance on how your family should celebrate the holidays, so that you may avoid worshiping the creation over the Creator.

Further Reading:
Exodus 20
3 Ways to Keep Christ at the Center of Christmas

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