Lost amid the consumer gluttony, anodyne carols, and colorful lights is that the Christmas story not only foregrounds poverty but the struggle of the oppressed. This contrast speaks volumes to our reality at the end of 2025: do we celebrate with eyes shut, or open our eyes and begin the work of building a better world?

In his column this week, “The Challenge of the Christmas Story,” longtime PDA ally Jim Zogby eloquently reminds us of the many ways that the Christmas narrative signals allegiance to the impoverished and displaced. He then powerfully ties this truth to the broader themes of a religion that over three centuries would grow until it toppled the mightiest empire ever known in the Mediterranean world:

“[Christianity] is, in reality, an upside-down faith. In Jesus’ own words, it is a faith where the first shall be last and the last shall be first. It is meant not for the rich, the satisfied, and the powerful. Rather it is first intended for the poor, the hungry, the downtrodden, and the rejected. And it is for those who recognize this and who therefore commit themselves to serving ‘the least of these.'”

With this in mind, whatever your faith, we encourage all people to reflect on this – apply it to the present moment – and know that we too can remake the world anew, that we too, working in unison with those less fortunate than ourselves, can build a world that alleviates suffering and shares the wealth of this beautiful and sacred planet.

Yes, gifts are also a part of the Christmas tradition. Enjoy the smiles on the faces of your loved ones. But, also, foreground what is even more resonant in the Christmas story: hold in your heart not just love but solidarity for the people, young and old, in Gaza and Ukraine and the war zones across Central Africa, for the millions of worried souls across Venezuela and Latin America, for unemployed AFGE members, for the millions of Americans about to lose their healthcare, for the two million people languishing in our jails, and the hundreds of thousands of destitute souls sleeping on the streets of the richest country in the history of the world.

To hold these thoughts in your mind and sentiments in your heart is to embrace the true spirit of Christmas – as is taking action to ameliorate pain and build a better world. 

Alan Minsky

Click to read all of Jim Zogby’s article: The Challenge of the Christmas Story.