Vatican(Daily Mail), 19 December 2018 -  Pope Francis has said Christmas cannot just be about swapping presents and indulging in a massive consumer binge.   

Speaking during his regular open audience in the Vatican, the pontiff urged Catholics to remember Christmas’ original purpose: to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.   

‘The advertising machine tells us we have to exchange more and more new presents to give us a surprise. But is that the sort of celebration that God wants?’ Pope Francis asked.   

‘No, Christmas is about listening to the silent voice of God,’ he said.   

He added: ‘To welcome the Savior there are no powerful people, no ambassadors, just simple shepherds, surprised by the angels while working at night.   

‘Please, I ask you, let us not turn Christmas into a fashionable event!   

His latest address comes just a day after he warned politicians of the dangers of exploiting nationalism and fear of foreigners to undermine the trust essential to their task of binding societies together, not dividing them.