Is It Still Relevant or Just a Commercial Grab for Cash?
By Brett Hayhoe
Every year, as decorations appear earlier in shopping centres and retailers race to outdo one another with sales campaigns, the same question inevitably surfaces: has Christmas become nothing more than a commercial event designed to empty our wallets, or does it still hold genuine meaning in modern society?
It’s a fair question.
Turn on the television, scroll through social media, or walk through any major shopping precinct in November and December, and you could be forgiven for believing Christmas has become a months-long marketing exercise. The pressure to buy gifts, host lavish celebrations, travel, and spend more than we can often feels overwhelming. For many people, Christmas cards have been replaced with online transactions and heartfelt gatherings overshadowed by the latest sales promotion.
Yet despite all of that, Christmas continues to endure.
Not simply as a date on the calendar, but as something that means different things to different people.
More Than Religion
I am not a religious person per se.
However, as someone who strongly believes in personal freedom, I will defend to the very end your right to worship, not worship, celebrate Christmas, ignore it entirely, attend church, or spend the day at the beach. The beauty of a free society is that people can seek meaning in their lives in ways that align with their own values and beliefs.
For millions around the world, Christmas remains one of Christianity’s most sacred celebrations. It marks the birth of Jesus Christ and is a cornerstone of faith. For those believers, the religious significance is neither outdated nor diminished by the commercial noise surrounding it.
Their faith gives them something to hold onto.
And in a world that often feels uncertain, stressful, and divided, having something that provides hope, purpose, and comfort surely cannot be a bad thing.
Faith in a Challenging World
Whether one is religious or not, there is something undeniably powerful about belief.
Faith has carried people through wars, economic hardship, illness, grief, and personal tragedy for centuries. It has helped individuals make sense of life’s biggest questions and provided communities with support when they needed it most.
Critics often focus on institutional religion, and sometimes with good reason. Religious organisations are run by human beings, and human beings are imperfect.
But it is important to separate faith itself from the failures of those who have sometimes represented it poorly.
The comfort that many people draw from their spirituality remains deeply meaningful. Christmas provides a moment to reconnect with those beliefs and values, whether they are expressed through prayer, reflection, acts of kindness, or simply taking time to appreciate what truly matters.
The Church’s Difficult History
Of course, any discussion about Christmas and religion would be incomplete without acknowledging some of the painful relationships churches have had with various sectors of the community.
Around the world, religious institutions have faced legitimate criticism over their treatment of minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, women, Indigenous peoples, and survivors of abuse. These issues have caused real hurt and continue to affect countless lives today.
For many people, these experiences have understandably created distance between themselves and organised religion.
Ignoring those realities would be dishonest.
Yet Christmas itself has become larger than any single institution. While churches continue to celebrate the religious significance of the season, many people who rarely attend religious services still embrace Christmas traditions. They gather with family, support charities, volunteer in their communities, and share moments of goodwill with neighbours and strangers alike.
In many ways, society has adapted Christmas into something broader and more inclusive than its historical origins alone.
The Commercial Christmas
Let’s be honest. Christmas is undeniably big business.
Retailers depend on the festive season. Businesses launch special campaigns. Advertisers create emotional messages designed to encourage spending. Entire industries are built around decorations, gifts, food, travel, and entertainment.
Sometimes it can feel excessive.
Financial pressure during the holiday period can leave many people stressed rather than joyful. For families already struggling with rising living costs, the expectation to spend can transform what should be a celebration into a burden.
But perhaps the problem is not Christmas itself. Perhaps it is our tendency to allow consumer culture to define what Christmas should look like.
After all, the most memorable Christmas moments rarely come from the most expensive presents. They come from conversations around the dining table, reunions with loved ones, shared laughter, and memories created together.
Those moments cannot be bought.
What Christmas Means Today
The reality is that Christmas no longer means just one thing.
For Christians, it is a sacred religious observance.
For others, it is a family tradition.
For some, it is a cultural celebration.
For many children, it is excitement and wonder.
For people living far from loved ones, it can be a reminder of home.
And for those who have lost family members, it can be a season of reflection and remembrance.
The meaning of Christmas changes according to the lives of the people celebrating it.
Perhaps that adaptability is precisely why it has survived for so long.
The Verdict
So, is Christmas still relevant?
Absolutely.
Not because everyone shares the same faith.
Not because retailers promote it.
Not because society tells us to celebrate it.
Christmas remains relevant because it provides an opportunity for people to pause and reconnect with the things that matter most to them.
For some, that means faith.
For others, family.
For many, friendship, hope, generosity, and community.
The holiday may look very different in 2026 than it did fifty years ago, and it may look different again fifty years from now. But its enduring strength lies in its ability to bring people together.
At its best, Christmas creates space for us to celebrate our lives, our relationships, our futures, and our aspirations.
And in a world that often seems increasingly fragmented, bringing people together is definitely not a bad thing at all.
