No night is so dark that His light cannot pierce it

In December 1965, nearly 15 million viewers — about half of the television audience — tuned in to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” It has become the longest-running cartoon special in history, but it was almost canceled before it ever aired. CBS executives were less than impressed.

Aside from technical criticisms caused by a rushed production schedule, network executives did not want Linus to recite the story of the birth of Christ from the Gospel of Luke. They thought viewers would not want to be preached to by an animated cartoon, especially through biblical passages. Obviously, after almost 59 years on the air and receiving an Emmy and a Peabody Award, those CBS executives got it wrong.

“There will always be an audience for innocence in this country,” said Charlie Brown’s creator, Charles Schulz. And indeed, there still is — although it may not seem like it.

A 2025 Pew Research poll found that 29% of U.S. adults now identify as religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion. That figure has risen sharply from 16% in 2007. Regular church attendance is also declining — only 3 in 10 Americans attend religious services each week. In the 1950s, that figure was nearly half of all Americans.

And the rise of the “nones” — the term often used for religiously unaffiliated individuals — signals not only a detachment from organized religion but also a broader drift away from the values that bind communities and enrich lives.

Faith, particularly Christianity in the United States, has long provided a moral framework that encourages responsibility, charity and engagement. As more Americans drift away from these values, we see rising loneliness, declining community involvement and increasing polarization. Is it any surprise that a Gallup poll earlier this year found that the loneliness rate has risen to 20%, the highest level in two years?

Yet an interesting paradox emerges from the data: Despite of rising religious unaffiliation, more than 90% of Americans continue to celebrate Christmas.

That may be evidence of the true spirit of Christmas within us all. Even among the “nones,” the fact that 9 out of 10 Americans celebrate Christmas suggests that people still crave meaning, connection and a sense of purpose. They may not recognize it as such, or want to admit it, but these desires are deeply spiritual — and Christmas offers an unparalleled opportunity each year to bridge that gap.

They’re not unlike Charlie Brown, who exclaimed, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” And the opportunity we have as Christians, especially at Christmas, is not unlike Linus’ reply: “Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about!”

The message of Christmas — the birth of a savior who offers hope to all — speaks to universal human needs. It’s a message that transcends political divisions, cultural differences and even religious affiliations.

Still, some reading this may be offended by any mention of Jesus Christ. They may be the same ones who get upset when someone wishes them “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy holidays,” or when schools dismiss for “Christmas break” instead of “winter break,” or when stores advertise “Christmas trees” rather than “holiday trees.”

But why? What is it about Christmas that is so offensive? The answer is that it’s not really Christmas — it’s Christ who is the issue.

While many may deny the existence of God, it is much more difficult to deny Jesus, for whom we have historical evidence of his existence, even from secular sources outside the Bible. Still, the life of Jesus is so powerful, and his words so meaningful, that even atheists or the “nones” cannot seem to get him out of their minds.

Christmas is not an ornament. It’s not a brand. It’s not a mood board. It’s a miracle. And deep down, beneath all the noise, America still hungers for that truth — for salvation. You can hear it in the music, see it in children’s faces, feel it in the stillness that falls for just a moment on Christmas Eve.

It’s not the glitter, the gifts or the frenzy we often mistake for festivity. It’s the light of Christ’s love breaking into a weary world. It’s the hope his birth brings to every one of us — the lonely, the overlooked, the anxious, the broken, the ones who feel life has passed them by. Christmas declares that no soul is forgotten, no life is beyond redemption, no night is so dark that his light cannot pierce it.

That’s the reason for the season. That’s the heartbeat of Christmas.

So at the next Christmas party, Christmas gathering or while waiting in line at the store, let’s answer the question Charlie Brown first asked all those years ago and proclaim, “Yes, we do know what Christmas is all about,” and it is this: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14).

Merry Christmas!

Louis R. Avallone is a Shreveport businessman, attorney and author of “Bright Spots, Big Country, What Makes America Great.” He is also a former aide to U.S. Representative Jim McCrery and editor of The Caddo Republican. His columns have appeared regularly in 318 Forum since 2007. Follow him on Facebook, on Twitter @louisravallone or by e-mail at louisavallone@mac.com, and on American Ground Radio at 101.7FM and 710 AM, weeknights from 6 - 7 p.m., and streaming live on keelnews.com.