It's a sad commentary on our time - to use a phrase much favored by my late father - that people increasingly celebrate Christmas Day by going to the movies.

In this quote, Michael Dirda expresses a sense of disappointment about the way Christmas Day is celebrated in contemporary society. He uses a phrase his late father often said, “It's a sad commentary on our time,” to emphasize his concern that more and more people are spending the holiday by going to the movies, rather than engaging in traditional or meaningful holiday activities. Dirda seems to be lamenting the shift in cultural values, where the focus of the day is moving away from family, reflection, or community, and toward commercialized entertainment.

The mention of people celebrating Christmas by going to the movies suggests that Dirda views this trend as indicative of a cultural shift—one where the deeper, more personal aspects of Christmas are being overshadowed by more materialistic and less meaningful pastimes. Traditionally, Christmas was a time for family gatherings, religious observance, and shared rituals, but Dirda is noting that these activities are increasingly being replaced by commercial entertainment, like going to see films.

Dirda's nostalgia for a time when Christmas had a more focused and reflective meaning seems to be a central theme in his quote. By invoking the phrase his father used, he connects his own discontent with a generational perspective, suggesting that his father, too, might have felt similarly about the changes in how Christmas was celebrated over time. The loss of tradition is a recurring concern for Dirda, who clearly values the cultural significance of holiday rituals.

Ultimately, Michael Dirda is using this quote to critique how modern society has transformed the way people engage with significant holidays like Christmas. The rise of commercial entertainment, like going to the movies on Christmas Day, is, for Dirda, a reflection of broader societal shifts away from more meaningful and community-oriented traditions.