Yet, as the years have gone by, something has quietly shifted. For many, Christmas has become less about Christ and more about commercials — less about the Word made flesh and more about a talking carrot in a supermarket advert.
Now, I have nothing against Kevin the Carrot or the creative minds who bring him to life each year, but there is something profoundly sad about the fact that this cartoon vegetable is now, for millions, a more recognisable image of Christmas than the baby in the manger.
It’s light-hearted, yes, and the adverts are well-made, but they are also a mirror to what we’ve allowed to happen: we’ve swapped awe for amusement, prayer for promotion, reverence for retail.
The Crib and the Carrot
In the rush to prepare for Christmas — the shopping, the parties, the gifts, the endless lists — we often forget what we are actually preparing for. Advent is not about stocking up; it is about slowing down. It is about making room in our hearts, not our cupboards.
Pope Francis once said, “The Christmas crib is a beautiful tradition that helps us to contemplate the mystery of God’s love.” Yet in many homes, the crib is missing. It’s not that people object to it — it just gets overlooked. The tree, the lights, the tinsel, the music — all find their place. But the tiny figure of Jesus, lying in a manger, surrounded by Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, is quietly absent.
Somehow, a talking carrot has become the face of Christmas, while Christ Himself has been hidden beneath wrapping paper and jingles.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.”
— John 1:14 (RSV-CE)
That single verse should stop us in our tracks. The Creator of the stars entered our world as a helpless child. He came not to sell us anything, but to save us. Yet how easily the true story is drowned out by noise and novelty.
The Meaning of the Crib
The crib, in its simplicity, speaks volumes. It reminds us that God chose humility over grandeur, poverty over luxury, stillness over spectacle. Every figure in that small scene — Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men — points towards the mystery of divine love stooping down to meet us.
When we place a crib in our homes, we make a quiet act of faith. We say: “Christ is welcome here.” It’s not decoration; it’s devotion. The humble manger is a sermon in miniature.
Saint Francis of Assisi, who first created the live Nativity scene in Greccio in 1223, understood this well. He wanted people to see the wonder of God made small, to touch and feel the truth of the Incarnation. He knew that hearts would be moved not by words alone, but by seeing — by imagining the straw, the stable, the night sky pierced by angelic light.
Saint Francis did not stage that first Nativity as a quaint display. He did it to stir love. He wanted people to understand that the Christ who came in poverty was the same Christ who comes to us now — in the Eucharist, in the poor, in every act of humble faith.
A Season That Forgot Its Saviour
We live in a culture that celebrates the idea of Christmas — togetherness, giving, joy — but often forgets the reason for it. The world loves the warmth of Christmas, but not the fire of Christ. It will gladly sing of snow and sleigh bells but remains uncomfortable with the scandal of a God who became man to redeem sinners.
Every year, we hear less about Bethlehem and more about bargains. Children know the words to Christmas pop songs but not to “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Shops blare “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” from October, but few play “Silent Night.”
Yet we can choose differently. We can decide, as Catholics, to reclaim the heart of Christmas — to make the crib more recognisable in our homes and communities than any advertising mascot.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”
— Luke 2:11 (RSV-CE)
That verse should echo in our hearts louder than any jingle. It’s the announcement that changed the world. The challenge for us today is to let it change us.
Preparing Our Hearts
This Advent and Christmas season, we might ask ourselves: How much time do I spend preparing for the celebration of Christmas itself, compared with how much time I spend preparing my soul?
We might have our outfits ready for parties, our gifts carefully wrapped, our homes beautifully decorated — but have we prepared a place for Christ within?
Confession is one of the most powerful ways to prepare. The priest acts as an instrument of God’s mercy, helping to lift the burdens that weigh down the soul. Just as we might have our clothes cleaned before a special occasion, so confession cleanses our hearts before the greatest celebration of all — the coming of our Saviour.
The saints remind us that outward celebration means little if it isn’t rooted in interior renewal. Let’s look at five saints who teach us how to prepare for the true Christmas.
Saint Francis of Assisi – Simplicity of Heart
As mentioned earlier, Saint Francis gave the world the first crib. He showed that true joy lies in simplicity — in stripping away the unnecessary so that what remains is pure love. His joy at Christmas was not in feasts or fine things, but in the realisation that God is with us.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori – Love Made Visible
Saint Alphonsus, the great moral theologian and founder of the Redemptorists, wrote beautiful meditations on the birth of Christ. He saw Christmas as the mystery of divine tenderness. “The love of God,” he wrote, “was not content to remain invisible. He became flesh to make Himself visible to us.”
For him, every Nativity scene was a classroom of love — a reminder that the Infant Christ looks upon us with mercy, not judgement.
Saint Charles Borromeo – Preparation through Prayer
Saint Charles Borromeo urged his people to use Advent not as a time of festivity, but of prayer and reform. He told his clergy to renew their hearts before celebrating the birth of the Saviour. “Let us devote ourselves,” he said, “to becoming like Him.”
His wisdom is timeless: Christmas is not something we merely observe; it is something we enter into through faith and repentance.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux – Childlike Trust
Saint Thérèse saw in the Child Jesus the perfect image of love’s simplicity. She said, “How gentle and humble of heart He appears in the crib.” Her own “little way” was shaped by that vision — to love God with the pure trust of a child.
At Christmas, when we look upon the manger, we are invited to that same trust. Not to overthink, not to complicate, but to rest in love.
Saint John Paul II – Witness in a Modern World
Saint John Paul II often spoke about the challenge of keeping Christ at the centre of Christmas. He said, “Do not be afraid to give Christ the first place in your lives.” He saw the dangers of consumerism long before it became the norm.
He urged Catholics to witness publicly — through cribs in public places, through carol singing, through generosity to the poor. In his eyes, every outward expression of faith was an act of re-evangelisation.
Returning the Crib to the Centre
So, what can we do?
We can start small. Place a crib where it can be seen — in your home, in your garden, even in a window facing the street. Let the Holy Family have pride of place. When guests visit, speak simply about what it means. When children help to set it up, tell them the story again, slowly, lovingly.
If your parish has a crib, visit it. Kneel before it for a moment after Mass and pray. Bring your worries there, your hopes, your gratitude. The crib is not for decoration; it’s a place of meeting — where heaven touches earth.
As for the talking carrot and his festive adventures — let’s smile, enjoy the creativity, but remember that joy without Jesus is only half-joy. Let’s let our laughter point us back to something greater.
A Quiet Challenge
Perhaps this year, you could make one gentle commitment: for every advert or seasonal film you watch, spend the same amount of time in prayer or reflection on the Nativity story. If you spend an hour wrapping gifts, spend another reading Luke 2 or praying the Rosary’s Joyful Mysteries.
In this way, you’ll be reclaiming Christmas one moment at a time — making space for Christ amidst the noise.
For when we kneel before the crib, we kneel before the very heart of God. The simplicity of that manger outshines any sparkle.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16 (RSV-CE)
This is the Christmas message. Not sentiment, not sales — salvation.
Let this year’s Christmas not pass by in noise and distraction. Let it be marked by prayer, by confession, by charity, by the placing of a small crib that says more than any slogan ever could: Emmanuel — God with us.
If every Catholic home, every heart, and every parish re-centred Christmas on Christ, even the loudest advertisement would pale beside the light of the manger.
The world does not need another mascot. It needs the Messiah.
A Prayer for the Rest of the Week
For all who read this blog post and all who never will
Lord Jesus Christ,
born in the stillness of a Bethlehem night,
teach us to recognise You amidst the noise of the world.
When distraction calls louder than devotion,
help us to turn our eyes back to You.
Bless all who prepare for Christmas,
that in their planning and celebrating they may not forget You,
the Guest of honour at every true feast.
Strengthen those who feel distant from faith,
and draw them gently towards the manger once more.
Bless our homes, our families, our communities,
and every person reading these words — and those who never will.
May Your presence, Lord,
become more recognisable in this world
than any symbol or slogan ever could.
Amen.
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