Each year on Christmas Eve, we gather to sing carols and hear the familiar story, ending with the candlelit singing of “Silent Night,” one of many songs that imagine a rustic nativity scene with an array of characters. But how did the birth of a peasant child over two thousand years ago become a global commercial enterprise with little connection to the birth of Jesus? This service will look at the evolution of Christmas celebrations and the enduring message that transcends its Christian roots.