It's Our Christmas, Goddamn It!
Well, the 80% has prevailed, it appears that the war to save Christmas has been won. It was nip and tuck there for a while, but the red and green army, in their mighty SUV's (I like that apostrophe, Arianna Huffington), armed with extension cords, lights, generators, air pumps, giant balloons and massive numbers of credit cards, have run the gauntlet of...well, I'm not sure what...and saved the day.Let the negotiations begin then, as nuclear families begin blocking out schedules with six or seven or a dozen other nuclear families and come up with a plan where somebody might congregate with somebody. It's gotten a little complicated, hasn't it?
But we made our contracts early this year and the kids are on the way. Consultation on exact times and durations is still in process, but I am confident enough to have gone to the "good" store for the ingredients for my traditional tenderloin stuffed with goat cheese, spinach and roasted red peppers. (all red and green, O'Reilly, all red and green, and American beef!)
Egg nog's in the fridge, presents under the tree. Put new strings on the guitars for the occasion. Plenty of snow on the ground, with a 40% chance for Christmas eve and morning. Ready to rock Christmas, dude
Even picked up a cheap recorder yesterday, and I've been annoying everyone around the house learning Christmas songs on it. Turns out though that in spite of all the gentle-hearted threats in the media from better Christians than I, and despite the new plastic lawn signs on my street exhorting me to put Christ back in Christmas, and irregardless of all this upwelling of generousity and good will toward men, there may be little Hope for me.
Cuz try as I might to knuckle down to Silent Night and O, Little Town of Bethlehem, my fingers keep going for Frosty the Snowman, The Nutcracker Suite and Here Comes Santa Claus. I just have to keep reminding myself:
It's not about fun.
posted by sequoit @ 6:30 AM
1 Comments:
Could it be that Christmas is just a blend and shall we even say a bit of a compromise of many different winter celebrations where we get together and celebrate life, eachother and our individual beliefs?
According to wilikipedia- "Most of the familiar traditional practices and symbols of Christmas originated in Germany, including the now omnipresent Christmas tree, the Christmas ham, the Yule Log, holly, mistletoe, and the giving of presents to friends and relatives. These practices and symbols were adapted or appropriated by Christian missionaries from the earlier Germanic pagan midwinter holiday of Yule. This celebration of the winter solstice was widespread and popular in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity, and the word for Christmas in the Scandinavian languages is still today the pagan jul (=yule).
Rather than attempting to suppress every pagan tradition, Pope Gregory I allowed Christian missionaries to synthesize them with Christianity, allowing many pagan traditions to become a part of Christmas.[3]
The give and take between religious and governmental authorities and celebrators of Christmas continued through the years."
There are even some Christians who take Christ out of Christmas. "A few Christian denominations, notably the Jehovah's Witnesses, some Puritan groups, and some fundamentalist Christians, view Christmas as a pagan holiday not sanctioned by the Bible and refuse to celebrate or recognize it in any way."
So whether you say Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, or Happy Holidays. The sentiment is the same. I'm thinking of you...I wish you well and optimism about the coming year. Which is the same thing meant by saying Merry Christmas in terms of the Saviour being born. Praise Jesus and look foward to the new year because he will die for our sins and rise again on Easter another pagan rooted Christian holiday...
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