Kuzwa kaindi Kkilisimasi yali kwaambwa kuti ncilengwa ca Bunakristo cakusekelela kuzyalwa kwa Jesu. Nokuba boobo, zilengwa zinji zicitwa mukusekelela ooku zitupa kubuzya kaambo kakabapa kuswaanganya pobwe eeli akuzyalwa kwa Jesu.

Kaambo kamwi nkakuti, eeli pobwe liliswaangene anjiisyo yakubeja ya Santa Claus. Santa wamazuba aano uulibonya kukkomana, uujisi malezu aatuba, alimwi uusamide nsuti iisubila, ngowakali kubelesyegwa kapati kuzwa mu 1931 kwaambilizya makwebo aakkampani yaku North America iipanga zyakunywaa-nywa. Mumyaka yakuma 1950, bana Brazil bamwi bakasola kuyanda kudumya muntu wabo wakuyeeyela uutegwa Grandpa Indian mubusena bwa Santa Claus. Ino ncinzi cakacitika? Syaazibwene uutegwa Carlos E. Fantinati, wakaamba kuti Santa Claus wakazwidilila kapati kumwiinda Grandpa Indian, alimwi mane buya “wakazyibwa kapati kumwiinda a Jesu uucili mwana akuba citondezyo capobwe lyamu December 25.” Pele sena njiisyo zyakubeja mbuli ya Santa Claus ncecintu cilikke cilubide kujatikizya Kkilisimasi? Kutegwa tujane bwiinguzi, atulange-lange matalikilo aa Bunakristo.

Ibbuku litegwa Encyclopedia Britannica, lyaamba kuti “Mumyaanda yamyaka yakusaanguna yobilo ya Bunakristo, kwakali kukasyigwa kusekelela mazuba aakuzyalwa kwabantu bakajaigwa akaambo kabukombi, mbuli buzuba bwakuzyalwa bwa Jesu. Ino nkaambo nzi? Banakristo bakali kubona kuti kusekelela mazuba aakuzyalwa ncilengwa cabantu batakombi Leza, calo ceelede kutantamukwa. Alimwi buya, mu Bbaibbele kunyina aalembedwe buzuba mbwaakazyalwa Jesu.

Mumwaanda wamyaka wane C.E., nokuba kuti Banakristo bakusaanguna tiibakali kutola lubazu muzilengwa zyakusekelela mazuba aakuzyalwa, ba Cikombelo ca Katolika mbabakaitalisya Kkilisimasi. Basicikombelo bakali kuyanda kuyumya makanze aabo aakugwisya zisinkilizyo, nkokuti ibukombi bwakubeja bwaci Roma ibwakadumide alimwi amapobwe aabo aasekelelwa lyamupeyo. Ibbuku lyakalembwa aba Penne L. Restad lyakuti Christmas in America, lyakaamba kuti mwaka amwaka, kuzwa mu December 17 kusikila mu January 1, “bana Roma bakali kupobola, kucita zisobano, kulifwoola, alimwi akutola lubazu mukusekelela mapobwe aamwi ciindi nobakomba baleza babo.” Mu December 25, bana Roma bakali kusekelela kuzyalwa kwa Zuba Litazundwi. Aboobo kubikka Kkilisimasi mubuzuba oobo, basicikombelo bakoongelezya bana Roma banji kuti kabasekelela kuzyalwa kwa Jesu muciindi cakusekelela zuba. Ibbuku lyakalembwa aba Gerry Bowler, litegwa Santa Claus, a Biography, lyaamba kuti, bana Roma “bakacili kulikkomanisya azilengwa zyakajatikizyidwe mukusekelela mapobwe aacitwa lyamupeyo.” Mubwini, “bakazumanana kucita mapobwe mapya mbubwenya mbobakali kucita mapobwe aakaindi.”

Aboobo cilisalede kuti, icilubide kapati mukusekelela Kkilisimasi, matalikilo aanjiyo aatali kabotu. Mubbuku litegwa The Battle for Christmas, ba Stephen Nissenbaum bakaamba kuti Kkilisimasi “ndipobwe lyabantu batakombi Leza licengeezyegwa kuba lya Bunakristo.” Aboobo, Kkilisimasi taimukkomanisyi pe Leza a Mwanaakwe, Jesu Kristo. Sena makani aaya maniini? Ibbaibbele libuzya kuti: “Ino bululami buswaangene buti abubi? Naa, ino mumuni uswaangene buti amudima?” (2 Bakorinto 6:14) Mbubwenya mbuli cisamu cigogomene, mboibede ayalo Kkilisimasi ‘taikonzyi koololwa pe.’—Mukambausi 1:15.