Editorial: The reason for the season

Christmas - for many people it's about Santa, presents, family and food. Photo / Dean Purcell

Christmas - for many people it's about Santa, presents, family and food.

But that is not why it is a public holiday.

It's one of the few days in the year most shops are required to close and that goes back to the real meaning of Christmas.

It's in the name. Christ-mas. It's the celebration of the day Jesus Christ, son of God, was born.

New Zealand's first settlers were largely Christians and accordingly our calender and celebrations revolve around that.

This week there has been debate about whether we should continue to use the word Christmas or if we should refer to it in more generic terms.

Auckland Regional Migrant Services has decided that in order to be multiculturally sensitive its year-end get-together should be a "festive-lunch" instead of a Christmas lunch.

Human Rights Commissioner Susan Devoy, who is also the agency's patron, this week gave her backing to the move.

I'm all for welcoming those from other countries with different cultures and religions to our country but, to me, that's taking it way too far.

They don't have to celebrate it but it's part of New Zealand's culture - whether you're a Christian or not.

We do not have to change our traditions and culture in order to be welcoming to others.

Those wanting to live in New Zealand should not expect us to change it either. They have chosen to live here.

We would never consider changing the name of Anzac Day in order to be sensitive to those we fought against in wars where our soldiers have died.

It is part of our history and culture just like Christmas and Easter.

Each individual living in New Zealand will decide if, and how, they celebrate Christmas and what it means to them but everyone should know the original reason for the holiday.

It does no harm for everyone to know what Christmas is about, just as it does no harm for us all to understand Ramadan and Hanukkah.

In the same way it does no harm to continue to call it the Christmas season.

Merry Christmas everyone.