Janet and I took a Christmas light viewing ride the other night and drove through a middle class neighborhood with many a house lit up and did not see one manger scene – not one! (In our own neighborhood there are a number of creche scenes – yeah!) We paid the $20 and drove through the Warner Park light display and again found not one thing that pointed to the true meaning of Christmas.
Have you noted the use of Christmas carols in secular commercials this season? Most noteably by auto companies. Cadillac speaks of “Silent Night”, Lincoln posts the words “Joy to the World” as a mom vegges in her luxury vehicle, and Volkswagon plays a rendition of “Joy to the World” as their car rips through wrapping paper.
[Do you know that the three largest automobile producers in the world (in this order) are Volkswagon, Toyota, and Nissan? The three world leaders used to be GM, Ford, and Chrysler. The three American companies have been overtaken by three companies found in countries that attacked us in WW II – Germany and Japan. Those countries that we rebuilt under the Marshall Plan have learned American ways and applied them better than we. We are now second to them. So, in a way, they won. Hmm.]
I think part of the reason carols are used in completely secular commercials is because most people today don’t associate the song with the truths or subject of the song. Rather, the song(s) reminds the hearers of a more joyful time gone by, thus tugging on emotions in order to sell cars. It is a reminder how far we have moved from what used to be religious and even sacred.
I fear even we true believers are less and less amazed, humbled, moved, and impressed with what took place that day some 2,000 years ago when a “Child was born” who was God the very God.
The fact that God would come into our dark, evil, ugly, sinful, rebellious, and twisted world is one thing. To come as a human beginning with a cell multiplying into millions of cells forming systems to then be born as one of us – is surely another!
And then to live, not just visit and leave, but live in spiritual darkness and among coarse and mean Roman soldiers (in Nazareth) is even more amazing. And then to go about doing good and be rejected by family, his people, and be betrayed by a friend is unbelieveable!
And then to submit to death. Not just any death, but possibly the most painful and cruel of deaths – that on a cross. And then to take God’s wrath for the sins of others.
How is it we aren’t just overcome by the Christmas story?
How is it that our light – our manger – doesn’t shine in our hood at Christmas time?
a PK Musing 
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