I have often wished in the years since I became an adult that Christmas would come only every other year. Rampant commercialisation and materialism erased so much of the mystery and joy from the holiday that I just wanted to skip it and all the work that went with it. I am, however, forced to stop my bah humbugging when I go to the annual Messiah sing-in at Old Cabell Hall. Only by participating in this beautiful event is the joy reborn and the true meaning of Christmas made real again. Pattie Downer, Charlottesville, Virginia

I It may sound odd, but as a Christian minister I really do not look forward to Christmas, or what is increasingly known as Xmas. Over my lifetime (I'm 50) it has changed from a religious feast, plus a good meal and a few presents, to an orgy of shopping and over-indulgence. "Winter lights" and "winter festival" is the PC clap-trap that is supposed to replace this Christian Festival that even Muslims, Sheiks and Hindus want us to celebrate properly. It is an important part of our heritage, as a nation and as Christians. Let's be proud of it and celebrate it as "Christ's Mass". For those of us who are also single, the ever increasing emphasis on the declining "family" only increases the sense of isolation, however hypocritical that family focus maybe. Give me Easter anytime. Ray Lyons, Southampton

Here in the United States, we are constantly being told about the religious meaning of Christmas. But those of us who are not particularly religious can still find meaning among the parties and overeating and overspending. This is a time when we give to those less fortunate and care for those who suffer. Christian or not, this is a time for helping others. I have asked my friends and family to give to charity in my name for Christmas, as I lack nothing. Jan Zuke, Glen Carbon, Illinois, USA

As a Christian, I enjoy Christmas as its a time for our families immediate and extended to come together to share our time and gifts with one another. It is also a time for numerous long distance phone calls to family in Africa and the Caribbean, who, despite going through difficult times still find time to celebrate and give thanks for what they have and more importantly for the birth of Christ. For me, its not about the presents its about God presence's in my families lives. Nicola Evans, Surrey

There is no Christmas season anymore. These days, Christianity has December 24 and 25 and Capitalism takes the rest. It is time to practice the fine art of shopping (a religion in its own right). In America, I would argue the bigger celebrations are "Black Friday", the first day of the shopping season following Thanksgiving, and the blessed "Day After Christmas Sale". When did Western culture become so unashamedly greedy? Mark Russ, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Christmas is a festive reminder that the innocent positive self is a giving creature; even the pious do neglect this essential extra-natural aspect of human being. Never mind that commercialism attacks the principle; the celebration remains a fundamental signpost as to true Christian attitude. Steve Ward, Hastings

Christmas to me is about family and friends coming together, not some religious festival. Anyone that sends me a card with "Jesus" or anything on does not get one the following year. If they really knew me they would know how I feel, and the fact that people try to enforce their beliefs on me really irritates me. Josephine Yates, Devon

The chance to watch White Christmas, A Wonderful Life and various productions of A Christmas Carol, without feeling out of place. David Leslie, Crieff

Christmas is my most favourite time of the year. I love hugging a warm mug of cocoa and sitting with friends to natter over the year. There has been much spoken of the commercialism of Christmas, how the true meaning has been diluted and filtered into a mottled syncretism of faiths. But, as a Christian, I hold very tightly to the Christmas story. We hear the narrative of the nativity describing Jesus being born, and coo and ah at the thought of a newborn. But this newborn was God. We think of God as a distant figure, but Christmas reminds us that God is very near: He was born vulnerable and dependent, and fully able to share in the experience of human failings, weaknesses and imperfections. It encourages me that God took such drastic action to come close to me and to my world. That gives us a big reason to have a knees up at Christmas. Gayle Ritchie, Slough

Christmas was traditionally a time of feasting. Now we feast every day because food is cheap and readily available. So we're probably missing the point. Christmas shopping is stressful because everybody we know already has everything they need. So we search for things they don't need. Unfortunately many adults have already bought the luxury goods they really liked so there aren't even many things they want. Again, we're probably missing the point. Christmas is traditionally a time to get together with family. That's something we don't do much these days so perhaps we should major on that. Ruth Comer, Reading

My wife and I, not having children, perhaps find it easier to celebrate Advent and Christmas at the right time than parents do. We have Advent calendars and Advent lights (one candle for each Advent week, celebrating Patriarchs, Prophets, St John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin Mary, plus one more on Christmas Day for the Christ Child); we do not put up our Christmas cards and decorations till Christmas Eve, and leave them up till Twelfth Night. Needless to say, Christmas dinner is a sumptuous affair, in total contrast to the very ordinary meals of Advent. I've made all this sound rather pompous and dull, and I've no idea how it would appear to children. I hope we would not only tell the story of Christmas to them, but also make Advent a time of excited expectation. John Small, Harrow

Coming from a Polish family, we place more emphasis on celebrating Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. So while we have a small gathering with close family for a great big traditional Polish meal on Christmas Eve, Christmas day chez nous consists of getting out of bed, eating the night before's Christmas left overs for breakfast and spending the whole day on the couch watching films - together. Couch potatoes? Maybe, but it beats going to huge family gatherings where one has to make polite conversation with second, third or fourth cousin's auntie's husband's sister in law. At least we can say that we truly spend a whole day together, as a five, which is rare nowadays with all our busy schedules. That is what I think Christmas is about. Ola Marki, Paris, France

Growing up in New York state, Christmas was always a much anticipated and fun season. Emphasis was always stressed on the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now married, my wife and I are eagerly anticipating the choir music programme and spending Christmas holiday with family and friends. Christmas is an everyday feeling not a once-a-year rush-and-ready ritual. Take time to enjoy the music, message of God's love, and wonderful fellowship of family and friends. Happy Christmas to everyone! Todd Kreamer, Mobile, Alabama

As a teacher, it is easy to get cynical about Christmas because the children's excitement for the presents they will receive sustains them for weeks. It's very easy only to see it as an excuse for the toy companies to make a fast buck. However, the first time they sing a Christmas carol the true meaning of it all is revealed. The atheists can be as smug and as clever as they want, but try as they might they can't take away the simple Christian beauty of this festival. The phrase from O Little Town of Bethlehem springs to mind, sung by young voices : "For in the dark streets shineth / the everlasting light." And dark, godless streets they can be! Jim McDonald, London

I really enjoy Christmas and look forward to it every year. It means a lot of parties with lots of drink and food at the office and with colleagues from work. It means meeting ex-colleagues in the pub one evening in December. The streets are all lit up and the shops stay open late. Soon after, all the shops sell everything at huge discounts. If I get invited to someone's house for Christmas day then it is another round of drinking and gluttony, exchanging presents and playing party games. I believe some people go to something called the Midnight Mass. I am not sure what happens there. Vinay Mehra, Purley, Surrey

If ever you need an insight into how people are manipulated into spending more and more money - much of it on credit cards which they cannot afford - take at good look at Christmas. What was a Christian festival to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ has been hijacked by the High Street. Don't get me wrong, I've spent more than my share of money over the years, watched White Christmas more times that I can remember and regularly put on half a stone in weight during the two weeks over Christmas and the New Year. However, you cannot lay all the blame for this over-indulgence at the doors of Argos, Marks & Spencer and Bing Crosby. Whether you believe in Jesus or not, our way of life in this country, the stability of our social structures, the education of our children, the way we govern ourselves were all founded on Christian beliefs and values. You don't have to believe that Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable with Joseph by her side and that they were visited by wise men and shepherds bringing gifts. But you cannot ignore the birth of a belief system that provides so many people with purpose and a way to lead their lives as decent members of the community. Christmas should be a time when we celebrate that event; a time when we recognise the need for those values and principles in our society and a time when we restate our determination to maintain and strengthen their contribution to the English way of life. Keith Downer, London

I cannot agree with Sarah Hague's view of a French Christmas. Christmas in Alsace has its commercial overtones, but Christmas is celebrated at home with the extended family, as well as in church. Our English carol service brings together not only anglophones but locals, who join us in celebrating Christ's birth in words and music and helps to convey that Jesus was born for all, regardless of their race, language or nationality. Mandy Pease, Horbourg-Wihr, France

Living in South Korea, 5,000 miles away from my family, I am for the first time in my 22 years appreciating the meaning of Christmas. Whether or not people relish the prospect, and whether or not Christmas is still imbued with religious meaning, is a time to be with your family. So, for this reason, I'll be spending my brief break from work flying home to be with my parents. Kate Kiptrot, JeonJu, South Korea

For 2,000 years Christians have been celebrating the birth of Jesus on one day a year. It does not matter that this was once a pagan festival, the passage of time links Christmas Day with Christ across the world and across many cultures. It is an event that has so much meaning for all the peoples of the world even if they do not acknowledge it. Yes, if people want to celebrate by partying and drinking and seeing family that is good, but if they cannot link that joy with the joy of Jesus coming into the world, then they should find another day with another name, because they are not truly celebrating the Christ in Christmas. David Moss, Wimborne

Midnight mass, mulled wine in Kent, friendship, gifts given and received, love shared. Lives shattered, broken dreams, regrets, bitter nostalgia. Lost dreams, broken promises. Endless shopping, stress of what to give and what will be received. Will it be enough? What is enough? Is this religion? Jim Ballantyne, Fleet, Hampshire

The true meaning of Christmas has caused me to acknowledge two festivals, the first and most common is Xmas - a time for feasting. Not only feasting on excessive food, but also excessive alcohol, gifts, and parties. This festival has the chocolate Xmas countdown calendars. The other, older and more a niche event, is Christmas. This one celebrates the birth of Christ into this world. I tend to grab spare moments where and when I can to escape the confines and shackles of Xmas to find a haven in Christmas. I love, too, the simple but powerful waiting, the anticipation that comes with knowing the anniversary of such an awesome and life-changing miracle is soon upon us. My daughters (16 and 17) come to Church with us for midnight mass, and share with my wife and I the pure joy of the moment and what it all really means. And I thank the Lord for that. Brian Charlick, Billericay

Surely it's high time we not only admitted that Christmas is not longer a Christian festival (if it even was originally, I believe it's widely accepted that the early Church nicked the timing from the pagans) but that this is a good thing. I for one am glad of a celebration for celebration's sake without the religious or moral overtones that some commentators are forever bemoaning have been lost. Keep the name by all means but it really is about presents, trees and parties for most of us, not Jesus. Chris Allen, London

It's a time to take stock and think about the year past and the year to come. Also to renew acquaintances via Xmas cards. And, yes, I do attend a carol service and feel part of a shared experience. I also like the atmosphere of Xmas Day when out walking the dog. I hate the way these days it starts so early; there is so much pressure to spend, spend as if that's all it was about, and any Christian meaning might offend other religions, although I am expected to fit in with theirs. I think that Christmas is being stripped of its special atmosphere as so much is these days. You can eat strawberries all year round; the items that only appear at Christmas are available all the time - very sad. Carole Tyrrell, London

Christmas should be a time of respite from labour and the quotidian; the hurried commute. It's a reason to celebrate life, to enjoy family gatherings and friendly social occasions; a time for reading, reflection and religious observance. However, it seems as though we are hell-bent on the frantic consumer-driven aspect of it, indulging in an orgy of gift-buying and sentimental tosh masquerading as "festivity". The vast majority spend the time drinking, eating and TV-watching to excess, in hustle and bustle, worn out, unwilling to wonder, to mentally relax, to enjoy good books, the radio, long walks, good conversation. The season has become an orgy of rampant consumerism, which is why an increasing minority (like me) want to withdraw from the madness and spend some quality time in a far-off lighthouse. John O'Byrne, Dublin

Christmas is about money. Church collections, present buying - what's the difference? Richard Smith, London

Christmas in my home means more arguments (even though we have a fair few the other 364 days of the year), rushing about trying to get decent gifts for an increasing number of friends who only end up getting you the same thing they gave you last year - all while keeping a smile on your face. Having relatives over you barely see (and for good reason) and spending most of the time a) trying to remember everyone's name and b) trying to feign interest in what so-and-so at the bottom of their street has been doing with some woman you pretend to know also. Decorating the house and thinking you've made a decent job of it until you realise that almost all your decorations date back from before you had your first born who has owned a credit card for some time now and doesn't appreciate the dancing Santa anymore. Complaining that everyone has forgotten he true meaning of Christmas while watching a Wallace and Gromit re-run. And a partridge in a pear tree. Katie Paddock, Walsall

Down here in Cornwall we traditionally celebrate Christmas Day with a special batch of wholesome Cornish Pasties - specially enriched with delicious turkey breast from Cornish farms. The pasties prepared on Christmas Eve are known as the "Jesus Batch" and extra care is taken with the crimping and texturing. How we looked forward, as youngsters, to a day off from the toils of the tin mine and a "Jesus Special" on Christmas morning. Jethroe Payne, Padstow

Luckily for me, my mother bought us an Advent calender without chocolates in it, in the UK. Here in France, I was unable to find one, and this year I had decided that there would be no chocolate-filled Advent calender as it missed the point. My eldest had wanted the Playpeople Advent calender and while it has an angel, the rest of the boxes are filled with farm animals and stuff - no Mary, no Joseph, and no baby Jesus. It missed the point, too. I remind the boys each year why we celebrate Christmas, and when they are with me they go to church, listen to the nine lessons and carols on the radio, and receive a modest number of presents. This year it should be even better as we are all going to the UK which does Christmas much better than France, surrounded by family, carols, and stables with the baby Jesus in each manger! Sarah Hague, Montpellier, France