CHURCH officials in Bath say they feel saddened that local people no longer see Christmas first and foremost as a holy celebration.

Religious representatives across the city claim the Christian message attached to Christmas is more often than not lost in the rush to spend money.

The Rev Ian Lewis of St Bartholomew's Church says: "I find it incredible that people who don't even go to church have lost sight of the fact that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus," he said

"It has been taken over by materialism. That's not to say we don't enjoy buying presents for people and putting decorations up; it's just that it now dominates Christmas and puts an enormous pressure on people's lives."

The Rev Graham Oakes of Holy Trinity Church, said: "In our materialistic society, it is pretty obvious that people are going to make the material preparations and not perhaps consider the spiritual implications.

"I think if people are not grasping those implications, it is a shame for them and we in the churches should make an effort to make that message clearer to everyone," he said.

On the streets of Bath, several shoppers agreed that Christmas for them was no longer a celebration in the Christian tradition.

Darren Fewins, a 30-year-old resettlement worker for the city's Drug and Homeless Initiative said: "I don't celebrate Christmas in any way at all. I am not of a certain religion, I just don't celebrate Christmas.

"My girlfriend goes off to celebrate with her family, and I just get on and do work. I'm not religious and I think it is a big con by most of the shops in the area to make money."

Linda Jones, 52, a housewife from Warminster, said: "I wasn't brought up to be religious. At a young age I had children, so to me Christmas is for the children and now they are older, it's about making them all happy, for all of us to get together. It is a family time for me, not a religious time."

Yet several people said that overlooking Christ at Christmas was often down to commercial and social pressures than any personal neglect of faith.

Nicola Danton, 36, a nurse from Chippenham, said: "I suppose I do think about the birth of Jesus. Things like advertising have taken over from it and the emphasis is more on gifts and presents. We do go to church at Christmas but it is more a time to be with the children for me."

Sarah Stevens, 36, a yoga teacher from Bathwick, said: "At the core, I think Christmas should be about the birth of Jesus but it's not, unfortunately.

"The thing that immediately springs to mind come Christmas is that I have enough presents around the tree. Second to that I think is other people, making sure that they have something."

Simon Hais, 33, said: "It should be about Jesus but it is not. I am not religious but I think the religious side of it should be more prominent."

Mr Hais, who lives in the Lansdown area of Bath said: "I think people celebrate it now for the commercial implications. They are wrapped up in what they can get out of it materially and financially rather than religiously."