How is Christmas important to Ernest in the novel, Love and Other Consolation Prizes?

For Ernest, Christmas symbolizes community, his acceptance and assimilation into American society. For his first Christmas, Ernest wishes for stereotypical holiday things: snow and gift-giving. These ideas of what Christmas should be like contribute to Ernest’s feelings of belonging. When Ernest spends some of the holidays alone, Ford suggests that it is important to be wary of too easily assimilating into American society.