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The holiday season is finally upon us, and with it comes the bright and colorful traditions and celebrations that have become iconic aspects of the season. It’s time to hang up the lights, put all the ornaments on the tree, organize shopping trips to get gifts for everyone and start making Christmas dinner plans.

There’s no doubt that, in our society, Christmas has become very commercialized. Many of the things that we consider essential to the holiday season appear to have very little to do with the central celebration of Christmas as the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The common assumption is that most modern methods of celebrating Christmas have nothing whatsoever to do with the essence of the holiday… and, as a result, the true meaning of Christmas has been lost.

However, his statement is entirely untrue! Amidst all the colorful lights and carols and trees and gift boxes, Christian tradition maintains its presence within modern Christmas celebrations. Many seasonal symbols appear to have no connection to Christ himself, but upon close examination, God is present in almost every aspect of our holiday celebrations. Even when it seems like people are trying to remove Jesus from the equation, he remains inseparable from the Christmas holiday and everything that comes with it.

If it’s evidence you’re after, you’ve come to the right place!

Let’s take a look at a misconception regarding the common abbreviation of “Christmas” as “Xmas.” Most people assume that the “X” is meant to replace “Christ,” thereby removing the Christian reference from the name of the holiday. However, the “X” is actually not an “X” at all; it’s the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of Christ’s name in Greek. So, abbreviating “Christmas” as “Xmas” doesn’t remove Jesus from the picture. If anything, the use of the ancient Greek alphabet makes him even more present than before.

Certain holiday traditions — those that don’t appear to have any connection to Christianity—usually have hidden meanings that point towards a religious truth or celebration of some kind. For example, did you know that a Christmas wreath is actually a symbol for the everlasting life promised through Christ’s birth? The circular shape of the wreath represents eternity, that which has no beginning or end. Additionally, Christmas wreaths are usually made of evergreen branches, which keep their color throughout the winter season, to symbolize hope in the face of adversity. A wreath could also symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Christ during his Passion, especially if the wreath is adorned with holly; the red color represents Christ’s blood.

The biggest example of Christ’s presence in modern Christmas is the spirit of giving itself. No matter how commercialized the concept of gift-giving gets, at its core, Christmas is about showing our love for others — the same way God showed his love for us when he sent his only son down from Heaven to be born on Christmas night. Jesus Christ sets the perfect example for us through his sacrifices, from his birth through his humility in life and all the way up to his death on the cross. Ultimately, if we honor those sacrifices during the holiday season — in whatever way we can — then the Christian presence persists in our celebration of the Christmas holiday, no matter how commercialized it might become.