Celebrating Christmas without subscribing to Christianity is like watching the Super Bowl without watching a regular season game. Some people watch the Super Bowl for the commercials; others watch it for the halftime show.

In this quote, Andrew Shaffer compares celebrating Christmas without embracing Christianity to watching the Super Bowl without following the regular season. He suggests that both events have deeper meanings and contexts, which are often overlooked by those who only participate in the superficial aspects. For Christmas, this could mean enjoying the holiday’s traditions—like gift-giving, decorations, and festivities—without acknowledging its religious roots. Similarly, people who watch the Super Bowl might focus on the entertainment aspects, such as the commercials or halftime show, rather than the game itself.

Shaffer’s analogy highlights how both Christmas and the Super Bowl have evolved beyond their original purposes. Christmas, originally a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, is now widely celebrated as a cultural event with secular traditions. Similarly, the Super Bowl, once primarily about the championship game, has become a cultural event where the commercials and halftime performance are as anticipated as the game itself. The quote suggests that while people may enjoy these aspects, they are not fully participating in the original meaning or experience.

By saying that some people watch the Super Bowl for the commercials or halftime show, Shaffer implies that people sometimes focus on surface-level attractions without engaging with the deeper significance of the event. Similarly, celebrating Christmas without subscribing to Christianity can be seen as enjoying the holiday without truly engaging with its religious significance, focusing instead on secular traditions.

Ultimately, Shaffer’s quote reflects on the tension between secular and religious celebrations, suggesting that while it’s possible to enjoy both Christmas and the Super Bowl for their entertainment value, doing so without acknowledging their deeper origins may lead to a shallow understanding of their true meaning. The analogy invites reflection on how modern society engages with traditions, often separating them from their original cultural or spiritual contexts.