I’m not sure whether I agree or disagree with you, however there was a set of very complicated family dynamics involved. It took a year of telephone conversations to break down many barriers and that trip knocked down the last of them. And the Good Lord played a huge part in all of that.
Based upon my own personal situation, I still think your premise about Jesus taking a back seat to everything else about the holidays, and travel in particular, is wrong.
BTW, we will be leaving in the morning on a 2 1/2 hour trip to spend Thanksgiving weekend with my husband’s sister and one of her daughters and also celebrating my SIL’s birthday. Oh, but we will be back in plenty of time for Sunday Morning service, because our lay roles in our Parish mean a great deal to all 3 of us.
Sorry if I was hurtful, but the fact is that the holidays have become commercialized and sordid and I didn’t think anyone could debate that, even if it’s not true for them personally.