Christmas Is Like a Snowball

This chapter explores the way that Christmas has gathered material from centuries of popular culture into itself. Especially as seen through the interpretive lens of two analogies (a three-layer cake and a snowball), it should become obvious that the religious celebration of Christmas has been profoundly shaped by cultural influences from many directions. Rather than suggesting that there is a single “right” understanding of Christmas, the chapter argues that it serves different purposes for different people. The discussion of Christmas invites us to return to issues raised in the introduction to this volume. Does popular culture shape or reflect society? Have people's Christmas celebrations changed because of the stories that popular culture tells about the holiday, or does popular culture express our anxieties and desires about what Christmas might be? The chapter argues that both claims are true.