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"There's too much materialism associated with Christmas" is a popular refrain. Another is that Christmas has become too commercial. Usually no one speaks to disagree with these views, although the actions of most people are a loud statement that demonstrates, better than words that, they do not agree with the sentiment.

The sentiment seems to attempt to douse the joy of what has become a cultural event that has grown far beyond any one religion, any single historic event, or any philosophical point. The sentiment seems to be an attempt to instill guilt where none is warranted and to reinforce, a political, anti-capitalist mantra that seems to know no end. Bah humbug to it all.

Christmas has evolved into a huge celebration of life in the United States – a celebration of the discovery of the key to survival – of that which wards off plagues, famine, and the general misery that was once the lot of the common man. What was once a nominal religious holiday has been expanded in meaning, by many people, to include all they find good about life, existence and human achievement.

Prior to the United States, Christmas did not garner the focus it now has as a religious event. It was, dare one say, "capitalized" upon as an established event to celebrate the discovery of the prosperity and happiness inherent to the common man, with the advent of freedom – most especially economic freedom – for the individual citizen.

It shouldn't be surprising that an existing event, and most especially an existing religious event, should serve as the basis upon which the celebration grew. After all, the date upon which the birth of Christ is celebrated is not that which theologians believe is the true date. December 25th was previously a pagan holiday that celebrated the winter solstice – the turning point at which days become longer, offering the promise of spring. It was a celebration of rebirth.

The discovery that economic freedom is essential for the best possible life for the greatest possible number of people, is in itself its own kind of rebirth ... an intellectual, political and social awakening, after centuries of subsistence and oppression.

" ... Christmas as we celebrate it today is a 19th-century American invention," points out Leonard Peikoff, when, "the freedom and prosperity of post-Civil War America created the happiest nation in history. The result was the desire to celebrate, to revel in the goods and pleasures of life on earth. Christmas (which was not a federal holiday until 1870) became the leading American outlet for this feeling."

Peikoff credits 19th-century capitalism: "industrialization, urbanization, the triumph of science – all of it leading to easy transportation, efficient mail delivery, the widespread publishing of books and magazines, new inventions making life comfortable and exciting and the rise of entrepreneurs who understood that the way to make a profit was to produce something good and sell it to a mass market."

It was then that gift-giving became a major feature of Christmas. There was finally enough wealth for the common man to rise above mere survival, to give gifts. It was the productive apparatus of capitalism – the freedom to create and exchange goods and services – that brought forth the surplus of wealth that allowed individual citizens to share their joy and happiness about life. It allowed them, for the first time in history to reach out to friends and family with gifts expressing the sentiments they felt. "The whole country took with glee to giving gifts on an unprecedented scale."

Even Santa Claus is a thoroughly American invention. There was a predecessor called St. Nicholas and 'a feeble holiday" connected with him, but it wasn't until 1822, that an American named Clement Clark Moore wrote a poem about a visit from St. Nick. "It was Moore (and a few other New Yorkers) who invented St. Nick's physical appearance and personality, came up with the idea that Santa travels on Christmas Eve in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, comes down the chimney, stuffs toys in the kids' stockings, then goes back to the North Pole." And, most appropriate for a capitalistic country, it was a highly successful corporation, Coca Cola, to be precise – that most contributed to introducing the red-suited, rosy-cheeked, white bearded, jolly fellow to the American public. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Not long ago I listened to the reminiscences' of an old cowboy, who grew up in early Montana without much of a family. He said he was a young lad of about 12 before he knew about Christmas. It was then that someone gave him his very first Christmas gift. The point is, Christmas, as the stark and somber event that many seem to advocate, was a reality not long ago.

It took the surplus wealth, and associated leisure and happiness,  that allowed individual citizens to divert their attention, from the struggle for survival, to indulge in such levity and frivolity.

So what's wrong with that? Why should we diminish a sense of joy simply because it's become fuller, with greater meaning and significance about the well being of mankind? Why should there be any guilt associated with such exuberance.

Unless one is inclined to wish for the very opposite of circumstances for the common man, why shouldn't Christmas be the celebration that it has become? Shouldn't any celebration of life include the reality of what life requires? Why shouldn't it have grown and expanded in its meaning and significance to include all people, of all beliefs, and all manner of expression? Why shouldn't we all revel in the glitter, glitz, music and merriment of a happier, healthier, more secure and pleasant life?

Celebrate on, America, celebrate on!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Very prosperous, productive and happy New Year!