An Open Letter to the Mayor and Town Council of Oxford, NS

Your Worship:

I realize that this letter will reach you far to late to be of any practical use to you or to your Town Council; however, I must write to you to express some thoughts and disappointments.

It is most disturbing to read about your Council’s decision to name the month of December as the “Christmas Season.” I fear that you have made a great error in your decision here. December, traditionally for close to 2000 years has been the season of Advent for the Christian faith. Advent is the time when we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. We prepare ourselves not just for the coming of the festival of Christmas but also for the coming again of our Lord to judge us all.

The actual “Christmas Season” that the Christian faith observes begins after sunset on the 24^th of December and it ends after sunset on the 6^th of January. Your Council’s proclamation that the whole month of December is to be the “Christmas Season” goes against Christian practice and thought, and in fact, undermines the work that the Church strives to achieve during Advent.

Our society and culture celebrates leading up to a festival but the Christian community has always prepared up to a festival and then celebrated when it arrived and for days after. With a proper observance of the season of Advent then the great festival of Christmas can mean much more to us all.

Finally, I would like to explain to you the festival of Christmas did not originate from the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. During the time of the early Church, there were many faiths competing for place in people’s lives. One of those faiths was an extreme pagan group who celebrated their winter rites on the 25^th of December. The Christian community of the time wanted to combat these pagans and win converts so they decided to remember the birth of Jesus on that day. Jesus was not actually born on December 25^th and we would all do well to remember this.

It all comes down to a matter of respect. We should all respect the traditions of other faiths. We may not agree with or practice these traditions but we must respect them all. In keeping with a spirit of respect let us properly observe the season of Advent and await the coming of Jesus the Christ.

Yours faithfully,
The Rev. M. Elliott Siteman