I loved the curmudgeon Andy Rooney, the longtime 60 Minutes commentator who talked about Christmas many times over the years. While he didn’t have a single, definitive “Christmas essay,” his reflections tended to circle the same themes. Here’s the meaning of Christmas in the spirit and tone of Andy Rooney, without inventing any word-for-word quotes:
Christmas, Rooney often suggested, wasn’t about spectacle or perfection—not the perfect gift, the perfect tree or the perfect family gathering. He had a way of pointing out that people work themselves into exhaustion trying to make a holiday “special,” when the things that make it special are usually simple, unpolished, and already present.
He liked calling out the commercial overload: too much advertising, too many “must-buy” lists, too many people confusing price tags for sentiment. Rooney believed that if you need to spend a lot of money to show someone you care, you’re probably doing it wrong.
At the same time, he had a sentimental streak. He reminded viewers that Christmas is really about small kindnesses — writing a thoughtful card, calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, or simply being together with people you love. He emphasized that the holiday works best when we lower our expectations of everything except goodwill.
He also noted that Christmas reminds us we’re more alike than we think: almost everyone wants to feel connected, remembered, and a little hopeful at the end of the year.
And in classic Andy Rooney fashion, he’d point out that Christmas isn’t something you “make happen” with decorations or shopping. It’s something that happens whenever people slow down long enough to appreciate each other.
Here are some actual, documented remarks by Andy Rooney about Christmas — from his “A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney” segments on 60 Minutes and other CBS-News pieces.
On decorations:
In a 1996 “A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney” segment he said:
“Good Christmas decorations are better than bad Christmas decorations, but even bad Christmas decorations are better than none at all.”
On gift-giving and unwrapping:
In a 1983 segment, Rooney held up some of the gifts he never wanted to receive again — a necktie, perfume, etc. He said things like “Seems to work pretty good, but why would I want to peel an apple?” (referring to a novelty apple-peeler) to emphasize that many presents are useless or unwanted.
He suggested a practical alternative:
“Everyone has some things he or she doesn’t want for Christmas. Make a list. Give it to your friends and family.”
On wrapping presents:
Rooney described gift-wrapping as “a strange custom.” He questioned why people take more pleasure from receiving a gift that’s “temporarily concealed” rather than one that isn’t hidden.
Rooney also had a whimsical comment about how we unwrap presents: once a gift is opened, the wrapping should be “torn off and thrown on the floor… part of the decoration Christmas morning.”
In a 1988 segment he admitted that usually he’s the kind of guy who complains if things go wrong — but at Christmas, “I take what’s given to me.” He said: “I’ve had Christmas presents I liked better than others, but I’ve never had a Christmas present I didn’t like.”
He reflected on how, for many people, the holidays are a rare time when “we set aside our skepticism, we set aside our competitiveness… and we just hang around all day and love each other.”
But to me, Christmas means hope.
(Cue the soft lighting)
“Every year, no matter what nonsense the world throws at us, we light things up, we sing, we eat like we’ve never met a vegetable… and we remember to laugh. And if that’s not a miracle, what is?”
For more Good News, read the GOOD NEWS December Issue at: https://digital.goodnewsfl.org/2025/december/#1