A lot of people seem to be really upset about Christmas. I don't really get it. Christmas is the All Purpose Holiday. On Christmas, you decorate your house, see your family, eat too much, exchange gifts, and maybe even wear that special Christmas sweater just for the occasion. It's like Thanksgiving, Halloween, and your birthday all rolled into one. Which is AWESOME.
Some Christians get upset that we pay less attention to Jesus than we do to Santa Claus on Christmas. Pagans remind us that Christmas is celebrated when it is because of the Winter Solstice and that many of the traditions we associate with Christmas, like Christmas Trees and the exchange of presents, are throwbacks to the Pagan Solstice celebrations of old. Then there's that tired "War on Christmas" gimmick that's been tossed around for a few years now by the Evangelical extremists.
I think folks should just get over it. Christmas is obviously winning.
And besides, all the history associated with Christmas is essentially irrelevant anyway. What's celebrated in America today that we all call Christmas is as distinctly American a holiday as the 4th of July. And it's fucking awesome. You don't have to be a Christian to celebrate Christmas. I'm not.
Christmas is a time for families to gather just as the days begin slowly to lengthen and to reflect on the year before New Year's Eve erases it from our memories. It's meant to be a reminder that we're loved and whether that love originates from Jesus, Santa or Grandma is entirely immaterial.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment