Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, told The New York Times that he of all people celebrates Christmas. “I detest Jingle Bells, White Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the obscene spending bonanza that nowadays seems to occupy not just December, but November and much of October, too,” he said. Even so, he added, “so divorced has Christmas become from religion that I find no necessity to bother with euphemisms such as, ‘Happy holiday season.’ ”<\/p>\n
You could spend all day sorting out the causes of this separation of Christmas from its higher purpose, but few could dispute Dawkins’ assessment. British though he is, he is spot-on about Christmas in America when he indicts the “spending bonanza” that has come to characterize the season. Who does not feel the pressure to buy, buy, buy as the calendar moves past Thanksgiving into the gift-purchasing \u201d\u201d er, Christmas \u201d\u201d season?<\/p>\n
Bring on the Advent Conspiracy, a new movement led by idealistic young Christians to confront what it calls the “scandal” of Christmas commercialism.<\/p>\n
“Christ,” according to the Advent Conspiracy website, “tends to get overlooked at Christmas.” This may resonate with Christians who resent crass “Xmas” references in storefront advertisements, but the Advent Conspiracy is not out to plaster “Christ” all over malls. Rather, to remedy the removal of faith from the holiday, conspiracy organizers are calling on Christians to give fewer material gifts and more of themselves \u201d\u201d do-it-yourself photos or poems, for example, experiential gifts such as a special father-and-son outing or donations of time or money.<\/p>\n
Judging from its quick growth, the upstart Advent Conspiracy has struck a chord. Launched last year by Rick McKinley, an emerging church leader in Portland, Ore., the conspiracy has attracted more than 700 churches from 17 countries, with thousands of people signing up through its website.<\/p>\n