--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Theologically Christmas Day is the…" description: "\"“Theologically Christmas Day is the greatest occasion for rejoicing offered to sinful mankind; but this aspect of it is so august and so great that the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/charles-dickens-34_christmas_theologically-christmas-day-is-the-great_1270181.jpg" --- # Theologically Christmas Day is the greatest occasion for… ![“Theologically Christmas Day is the greatest occasion for rejoicing offered to sinful mankind; but this aspect of it is so august and so great that the human mind refuses to contemplate it steadily, perhaps because of its own littleness, for which of course it is in no way to blame. It prefers to…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/charles-dickens-34_christmas_theologically-christmas-day-is-the-great_1270181.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/charles-dickens-34_christmas_theologically-christmas-day-is-the-great_1270181.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/charles-dickens-34_christmas_theologically-christmas-day-is-the-great_1270181.jpg) > ““Theologically Christmas Day is the greatest occasion for rejoicing offered to sinful mankind; but this aspect of it is so august and so great that the human mind refuses to contemplate it steadily, perhaps because of its own littleness, for which of course it is in no way to blame. It prefers to concentrate its attention on ceremonial observances, expressive generally of good will and festivity, such, for instance, as giving presents and eating plum-puddings. It may be said at once here that from that conventional point of view the spirit of Christmas Day at sea appears distinctly weak. The opportunities, the materials too, are lacking. Of course, the ship’s company get a plum-pudding of some sort, and when the captain appears on deck for the first time the officer of the morning watch greets him with a “Merry Christmas, sir,” in a tone only moderately effusive. Anything more would be, owing to the difference in station, not correct. Normally he may expect a return for this in the shape of a “The same to you” of a nicely graduated heartiness. He does not get it always, however.”” [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The true spiritual depth of Christmas is often ignored in favor of superficial customs because people feel unworthy of its grandeur. **In simple terms:** People focus on gifts and festivities instead of deeper meaning. Key Takeaway Seek deeper spiritual reflection during holidays. Themes faith humility celebration tradition Mood reflective contemplative Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - family gatherings - church services - personal meditation - charitable acts Key Concepts theology human frailty celebration Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance tradition with deeper meaning? - What simple practice can deepen your holiday spirit? A Different Perspective The quote may overstate human inability to grasp divine magnitude, ignoring personal spiritual growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Christmas day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-day/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Giving Presents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-presents-213835/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Observances Expressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observances-expressive-4068748/) [Occasion Rejoicing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasion-rejoicing-4068747/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rejoicing Offered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejoicing-offered-4068746/) [Spirit Of Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-of-christmas/) [Theologically Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologically-christmas-4068745/) ## Related quotes > [Many delight more in giving of presents than in paying their debts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/many-delight-more-in-giving-of-presents-than-in-paying-their-debts/) [Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/) > [“What nonsense," he answered, "the very idea of giving presents to a man with whom we are perfectly satisfied and who is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-nonsense-he-answered-the-very-idea-of-giving-presents-to-a-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life's Highs... 1. Laughing hysterically 2. Dancing your heart out 3. Star gazing 4. Shopping 5. Going to the beach 6. Listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-s-highs-1-laughing-hysterically-2-dancing-your-heart-out-3-star/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege to practice giving presents to others.' The way he did it was charming; there was nothing glittery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/smith-you-don-t-realize-it-s-a-privilege-to-practice-giving-presents/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You need more fact in the dangerous art of giving presents than in any other social action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bolitho/you-need-more-fact-in-the-dangerous-art-of-giving-presents-than-in/) [William Bolitho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bolitho/) > [The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: “Merry Christmas”-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-charming-aspect-of-christmas-is-the-fact-that-it-expresses-good/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The whole music business in the United States is based on numbers, based on unit sales and not on quality. It's not based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-whole-music-business-in-the-united-states-is-based-on-numbers/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Giving presents is one of the most possessive things we do, did you realize that? It's the way we keep a hold on other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/giving-presents-is-one-of-the-most-possessive-things-we-do-did-you/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/to-the-american-people-christmas-is-not-a-time-or-a-season-but-a/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [For many of us, sadly, the spirit of Christmas is "hurry". And yet, eventually, the hour comes when the rushing ends and the race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burton-hill/for-many-of-us-sadly-the-spirit-of-christmas-is-hurry-and-yet/) [Burton Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burton-hill/) > [When you give up yourself, that's when you will feel the true spirit of Christmas. And that's giving that's serving others and that's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/when-you-give-up-yourself-that-s-when-you-will-feel-the-true-spirit/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“The spirit of Christmas is about giving - not only gifts (which are symbolic) but a helping hand to all who need it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/the-spirit-of-christmas-is-about-giving-not-only-gifts-which-are/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“In another Christmas story, Dale Pearson, evil developer, self-absorbed woman hater, and seemingly unredeemable curmudgeon, might be visited in the night by a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/in-another-christmas-story-dale-pearson-evil-developer-self-absorbed/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace, The gladness of Christmas give you hope, The warmth of Christmas grant you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-the-spirit-of-christmas-bring-you-peace-the-gladness-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Charles Dickens > [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Theologically Christmas Day is the greatest occasion for rejoicing offered to sinful mankind; but this aspect of it is so august and so great that the human mind refuses to contemplate it steadily, perhaps because of its own littleness, for which of course it is in no way to blame. It prefers to concentrate its attention on ceremonial observances, expressive generally of good will and festivity, such, for instance, as giving presents and eating plum-puddings. It may be said at once here that from that conventional point of view the spirit of Christmas Day at sea appears distinctly weak. The opportunities, the materials too, are lacking. Of course, the ship’s company get a plum-pudding of some sort, and when the captain appears on deck for the first time the officer of the morning watch greets him with a “Merry Christmas, sir,” in a tone only moderately effusive. Anything more would be, owing to the difference in station, not correct. Normally he may expect a return for this in the shape of a “The same to you” of a nicely graduated heartiness. 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