As Christmas approaches, we’ll begin to hear about commercialization, greed and materialism. Various groups, including Christians from everywhere on the spectrum, will bemoan the loss of what once was.

Reading through a recent denominational publication, I read through two articles which had similar tones but seemingly contrasting messages. The first talked about how the mall had now become the place of modern worship. Apparently people everywhere are catching on to this trend, including Christians. To cash in on this movement, new churches are even being designed to look like malls. Food courts have replaced the communion table, sales promotions have replaced Advent, Lent, etc., and the Almighty Dollar has replaced God Almighty. The second article also talked about how the mall had now become the place of modern worship. This author’s point was instead that new malls are being designed to look like medieval cathedrals, with the special windows, paintings and statues.

Both writers pointed toward the commercialization of Christmas, but in different ways. I was slightly baffled though; which writer was correct? Are new churches looking like old malls, or are new malls looking like old churches? Perhaps both statements are true which would negate the legitimacy of either article. If new churches look like malls, which look like old churches, then new churches look like old churches, regardless of the level of materialism in the surrounding society.

Recently there was some fear that malls were losing their relevance and would eventually be empty as a result of increased online shopping. While e-commerce has increased, malls are still full to overflowing leading up to Christmas. Some malls with struggling chains, with aging buildings or placed in increasingly poor neighbourhoods are whithering into oblivion, but many malls are thriving in their glitz and glamour. Similarly, the downfall of the church is much publicized and seen by many as inevitable in this postmodern climate of intellectualism, etc. Little however is being said about church growth in its various forms. New churches are springing up in Canada. Some groups are starting to rent out movie theatres to accommodate their swelling attendance. Old vacated church buildings are being rented or purchased outright by newer, younger and more vibrant congregations.

Sure, churches are like malls, malls are like churches. They each have their own enemies, things that threaten to bring irrelevance. Both can blame a changing climate on their decline, or they can simply continue to be relevant.

Christmas is coming, and I’m tired of hearing people complain about it. If you don’t like mall atmosphere at this time of year, don’t go. If you think materialistic greed has overcome the traditional goodwill of the holiday, don’t buy anything, nothing at all. We have the power to make Christmas what we want. The government still gives us a day off. Random people still extend random well-wishes at random times throughout the season. Whether you’re celebrating the birth of Christ or the feast of Saturn, celebrate! Don’t complain about how the unfriendly climate around you ruins your holiday.