Has the true meaning of Christmas been lost in relentless consumerism?

IT MUST be frustrating to feel that Christmas is losing its true meaning (Letters). However, long before modern commercialisation, it acquired so many pagan practices that it detached itself from a specific religion and began to belong to the wider, secular world. There’s no evidence that early Christians even celebrated Christmas. The Roman celebration of the birth of the sun was adopted as the celebration of the birth of the son of God. It’s a cultural festival, not a religious one. There’s nothing wrong with nonChristians taking part in the upbeat spirit of the holiday season — decorating trees, singing songs and giving presents to their family and friends. The Christian religion doesn’t own December. We’re all allowed to enjoy this time of year. EMILIE LAMPLOUGH, Trowbridge, Wilts.

I WENT into a national chain greetings card shop and asked where I could find religious Christmas cards. I was greeted by blank looks. PETER WESTRIP, Dorchester, Dorset. WHY does Christmas start so early, with TV adverts and the supermarket shelves full of mince pies months before the big day? Surely Advent at the beginning of December is soon enough for the preparations to begin. We need to bring some common sense to bear before Christmas becomes an all-year-round monster. JANE E. BURKE, Mansfield, Notts. IT’S not just mince pies that you can buy all year round. There are turkeys on sale with use-by dates before December 25. Name and address supplied. HAS John Lewis lost the plot — what has Elton John’s life story got to do with the true spirit of Christmas? I certainly won’t be shopping in the department store this year.

Mrs A. GRANT, London SW1. WHY do supermarkets and department stores think that bombarding us with their Christmas goods will make us want to go shopping? They complain that profits are falling and footfall is poor, and then give away millions to a vulgarly rich singer to appear in their Christmas TV advert. If they have so much spare cash, why not give it to children’s charities? Surely a present for a child with nothing to his name would be the true gift of Christmas. MICHAEL PULLEN, address supplied. THE Christmas ads are in full swing. Thank goodness for the mute button. C. WILDE, Hucknall, Notts. I LOVE the festive season and enjoy buying gifts. However, I never get a thank you. As a child, I was taught to write a short note. Surely in this high-tech age it is so easy to acknowledge gifts. Name supplied, Tarleton, Lancs.