History Main / DoTheyKnowItsChristmasTime

* Subverted on ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}''. Arthur Read and family attend Church. The episode also mentions Jesus by name.

* ''SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' both upholds and subverts the trope, as the protagonist and his ladylove use the holiday as an excuse to kiss over a christmas cake, while there are scenes of the religious aspect -- a priest and a (very obviously Christian) church are highlighted in one sequence, implying that people in the city were taking in Midnight Mass just before the HumongousMecha attack launched by Kamujin.

The title of this trope is taken from the Band Aid song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--although that particular song is more an example of WhiteMansBurden.

The title of this trope is taken from the Band Aid song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

* Charity drives are a real-life example of [[StatusQuoIsGod just how seasonal the spirit of Christmas is.]]

* Subverted by stores everywhere, who will remind people [[ChristmasCreep months ahead of time]] that Christmas is coming...because they know they'll make money.

* Anyone who's seen the way that even an otherwise sparsely-attended church will fill up for Christmas Eve services can attest that this is very often TruthInTelevision.

* Anyone who's seen the way that even an otherwise sparsely-attended church can fill up for Christmas Eve services will attest that this is very often TruthInTelevision.

* Surprisingly pops up on a Christmas episode of ''{{Animaniacs}}'', with Yakko, Wakko, and Dot (who, frankly, often comes across as AmbiguouslyJewish) time-traveling to Bethlehem in the year 6 B.C. to visit the Baby Jesus - and ultimately perform a 1940s swing version of "The Little Drummer Boy." Very strange, since in the episode where Wakko temporarily "died," he found himself banished to [[TheNothingAfterDeath a very lonely, barren underworld]] unlike anything described in Christianity.

* Parodied to the max in the BritCom ''{{Nightingales}}''. In the Christmas special, three security guards are attempting to celebrate Christmas when they are approached by an unmarried, highly pregnant girl called 'Mary' for a room for the night. They let her stay, only if she promises NOT to be an allegory for the true meaning of Christmas. She later [[AwayInAManger gives birth]], but to a stream of unlikely objects (such as a goldfish, a set of golf clubs and a toaster). At the end of the episode, she reveals that in fact, it WAS an allegory all along and mocks the guards for not noticing how she was showing that Jesus had been replaced with a stream of consumer goods. The episode ends with UsefulNotes/ThePope and HaroldPinter leaving on a trandem.

* Parodied to the max in the BritCom ''{{Nightingales}}''. In the Christmas special, three security guards are attempting to celebrate Christmas when they are approached by an unmarried, highly pregnant girl called 'Mary' for a room for the night. They let her stay, only if she promises NOT to be an allegory for the true meaning of Christmas. She later [[AwayInAManger gives birth]], but to a stream of unlikely objects (such as a goldfish, a set of golf clubs and a toaster). At the end of the episode, she reveals that in fact, it WAS an allegory all along and mocks the guards for not noticing how she was showing that Jesus had been replaced with a stream of consumer goods. The episode ends with ThePope and HaroldPinter leaving on a trandem.

* On Christmas Eve, [[WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}} Arthur Read and family]] attend Church.

* In ''{{Discworld}}'' Hogswatch-time fic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5598298/17/Il-se-passait-au-nuit-du-P%C3%A8re-Porcher Il se Passait au nuit de Pere Porcher]]'', where a lot of Christmas conventions and clichés are gleefully sent up, the final chapter is called ''Do They know It's Hogswatchnight in Howondaland?'' The titular BandAid song is spoofed in a Discworld context, through the agency of a character from "Rimwards Howondaland" who is asked this very question. She is from a farming family, and replies using the lyrics of the song...

* In ''HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', Part I, Harry and Hermione teleport to Godric's Hollow, Harry's birthplace, to find out more clues on their quest. When they arrive, snow is on the ground and "fairy lights" (as they are called in the UK) are in people windows, and sounds of song and celebration are coming from various houses. Hermione turns to Harry and says, "I think it's Christmas Eve." (They had been traveling for months with no calendar or other time reference.)

* Subverted by stores everywhere, who will remind people months ahead of time that Christmas is coming...because they know they'll make money.

Compare and contrast with SantaClausmas, DidIMentionItsChristmas and SoaplandChristmas.

* The TropeNamer is "Do They Know It's Christmas?," a charity song by Band Aid. It is certifiably an EarWorm, but it really doesn't have to do much with the trope; the question is whether the poor and starving children in Ethiopia (which was having a famine at the time) knew about the joy and happiness that was their due on Christmas Day. Of course, while their hearts may have been in the right place the Western-centric overtones of this premise was not lost on younger listeners (For instance, while most Ethiopians are Christians, they don't celebrate Christmas the same way, and, being Orthodox, it falls on 7 January; to say nothing of the UnfortunateImplications of a line like "Tonight thank God it's them instead of you"), and so the song was parodied and its premise subverted by "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?," which is what happens when a bunch of (mostly Canadian) indie rockers get their hands on something like this.

* TomLehrer mocked this trope with his song "A Christmas Carol":

* An Easter Sunday strip of ''ForBetterOrForWorse'' from TheEighties calls attention to this very trope. The Pattersons get dressed up and go to church, where young Michael is somewhat fascinated by the choir and stained glass windows and such. He asks his mother if the church is always open and she tells him yes, it's open every Sunday. In the final panel, to the amusement of the nearby preacher (and the chagrin of his parents), he innocently inquires, "Then how come we only come here twice a year?"
* Huey Freeman of ''TheBoondocks'' is an inversion, as he is seen to become ''even more'' cynical and cold around the holidays due to knowledge of the origin of all of the secular traditions and how bastardized the holiday really is.
* From a 1965 ''{{Peanuts}}'' strip:

* In the WhateleyUniverse, the story "Ayla and the Grinch". Except that Ayla and her big sister can't go to the Christmas Eve church service because of what they are.

* In ''AmericanDad'', the Christmas episode "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls," is where Steve accidentally shoots and kills Santa Claus, only to find he was revived at the North Pole. Santa then goes on a commando raid to kill the main characters, complete with machine guns and homicidal elves.

** In a subtle foreshadowing, in the scene just prior to this, snow is starting to fall in their last location.

* At the end of the TV movie ''TheHebrewHammer'', the titular Hammer brags to his mother that he's saved Hanukkah, and she isn't at all impressed - it's not like he saved one of the high holy days.
* ''TheBradyBunch'' had a ChristmasEpisode in one of the earlier seasons. Carol developed laryngitis, and Cindy pleaded with a department store Santa Claus to give her back her voice so she could sing the solo at church on Christmas Day -- which of course is exactly what happens. It was the only instance in the entire series where the family attended church or mentioned religion at all.
* The Christmas episode of ''MySoCalledLife'' has this. Especially blatant in that it's the (otherwise irreligious) ''teenage kid'' and not the parents who insists that everyone attend Christmas Eve mass.

* On ''{{Wonderfalls}}'', the "twice-a-year church attendance" trope is referenced and spoofed when Jaye's former classmate, who has converted to Judaism in order to marry her husband, demonstrates some ignorance of the basic tenets of the religion and then cheerfully informs Jaye, "I'm more of a Christmas and Easter Jew."

What happens when StatusQuoIsGod smashes into a ChristmasEpisode. Perhaps no one ever goes to church or mentions a deity the rest of the year, but every now and again, around Christmaas, our heroes will be shown the TrueMeaningOfChristmas (it's never presents - well, [[SubvertedTrope not usually]]) and caring, and realize just how lucky they really are. They may even go to a Christmas service, [[ChristianityIsCatholic probably midnight mass on Christmas Eve]]. At the very least, they attempt to be kinder and more charitable toward those around them, embrace the brotherhood of man, and so forth.

What happens when StatusQuoIsGod smashes into a ChristmasEpisode. Perhaps no one ever goes to church or mentions a deity the rest of the year, but every now and again, around Christmas, our heroes will be shown the TrueMeaningOfChristmas (it's never presents - well, [[SubvertedTrope not usually]]) and caring, and realize just how lucky they really are. They may even go to a Christmas service, [[ChristianityIsCatholic probably midnight mass on Christmas Eve]]. At the very least, they attempt to be kinder and more charitable toward those around them, embrace the brotherhood of man, and so forth.

* In ''AmericanDad'', there is a Christmas episode where Steve accidentally shoots and kills Santa Claus, only to find he was revived at the North Pole. Santa then goes on a commando raid to kill the main characters, complete with machine guns and homicidal elves.