“Christmas is cancelled” is the dreaded phrase that has hung over our obsessive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic as we enter the holiday season.
Announcing that millions of people in the United Kingdom would be placed under new “Tier 4” restrictions effectively equivalent to earlier lockdowns, Boris Johnson said on Saturday that “I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned.”
#ChristmasIsCanceled trended on Twitter. The Sunday Times ran with the headline “Christmas is cancelled by surging mutant virus,” The Sunday Telegraph had “Christmas cancelled for millions,” and Politico reported “Christmas canceled: Boris Johnson orders millions of Brits to ‘stay at home.’”
Such rhetoric is not limited to the United Kingdom. Earlier in November, host Jake Tapper stated that “Christmas is probably not gonna be possible,” while speaking with Dr. Anthony Fauci on CNN’s State of the Union.
CNN's Jake Tapper this morning: "Christmas is probably not gonna be possible." pic.twitter.com/z56ifNCr3G
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 15, 2020
Whether uttered or alluded to by politicians or journalists, the phrase “Christmas is Canceled” is beyond absurd. After all, Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, a Christian observance of the birth of their messiah. The arrogant and mortal words of an autocrat have no bearing on the religious meaning of Christmas, and the idea that such a momentous event can be “canceled” by diktat is laughable.
The only reason the concept of canceling Christmas is taken seriously in any manner whatsoever is because all levels of religiosity have been intentionally eroded. Christmas has become an atheistic opportunity to buy things and decorate the house. In the same way that Kamala Harris diluted Hanukkah to lighting candles and “light light light,” Christmas is diluted to trees, presents, and tinsel. Similarly, Easter is about bunnies and chocolate eggs.
Hanukkah is one of our favorite holidays — and a reminder to spread the light at a time when we've never needed it more.
From our big, modern family to yours, happy Hanukkah! pic.twitter.com/KbkisZooCO
— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) December 10, 2020
This is part of a broader strategy to erode the religious basis of fundamental elements of our civilization. All that is good in our society is built on a foundation of Judeo-Christian principles. If Christmas is “permitted” to remain as an eternal image of the start of Christianity, then something remains whose power eclipses that of the government.
Whether for Christians or non-Christians, the successful redefinition of Christmas as an entirely irreligious day would signal a victory for those who worship the state over all else.
Setting aside the blatant authoritarianism driving the destruction of freedom we have lazily grown to take for granted, Christmas isn’t canceled simply because it cannot be canceled, no matter how hard people try.
Ian Haworth is host of The Ian Haworth Show and The Truth in 60 Seconds. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.