If You Don’t Believe the Bible or Me, Take It From Science—Christmas Is Good for You
It’s Christmastime, which means we celebrate the birth of our Savior by…drinking eggnog, putting a pine tree inside our house for some reason, and leaving cookies out for a fat man in a red suit.
Yes, some of our traditions do feel arbitrary. Others (like gift giving) are tied to Scripture (the wise men gave gifts). But there’s more to it than that. In fact, science demonstrates that giving serves a vital function in that it really does make us happier.
There are documentable benefits to many of the traditions and lessons of Christianity (and, admittedly, other faith traditions). In fact, far from there being a “war on Christmas,” science and mainstream culture seem to be working overtime to convince us of the benefits of religious practices and rituals.