There is much of the meaning of Christmas that is Pagan* - in the sense of being a celebration of this-worldly and mortal life. The decorations, feasting, presents, family, light-in-darkness, warmth-in-cold - all of these can make Christmas a truly joyous time for a child who is unaware of Christianity in any meaningful way.
Christmas could, thus far, be considered a celebration of the positive aspects of our life on earth.
Yet, Christmas also leads to much nostalgia, and considerable regret.
As the years roll-by, and Christmas becomes clouded by experience of many losses - not least, memories of the loss of the unalloyed happiness possible only to young children.
With age and experience; the happier has been the Christmas, the sadder its passing.
We celebrate this life and world, but with a growing awareness that all is temporary, and all will be destroyed sooner or later.
Intoxication (of one sort or another) can push this awareness under for a while, but it will always return.
If not before or during; post-Christmas comes the blues. A recognition of the other side of this mortal life; of entropy (degeneration, disease, death) - and of evil.
That is when the Christian aspect of Christmas can do its work. The celebrations of Pagan Christmas are real and valuable, but the sorrow will win in the end; unless there is more and better to come.
Then Christmas can be enjoyed whole-heartedly - by grown-ups, as well as young children.
*Note: There is much of value in paganism - but only in the context of being-a-Christian. It is bizarre, therefore, for Christians (of all people!) to be afraid/ dismissive/ rejecting of paganism!
