Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Thoughts on the Holiday Season #2: You're all a big bunch of scrooges!

Some cynical jerkfaces will lament that every year the Christmas decorations and ad campaigns start earlier and earlier. These are the people that will shake their heads in disgust when they turn down an aisle at their local drugstore to see that it's filled with gift wrapping supplies and little robotic snowmen that dance and sing. "It's not even Halloween yet!" they will grumble to themselves or, if they are reeeally bad, to their fellow shoppers.

And to these people I say, "Hey, you, get offa my cloud!"

I think these people perhaps weren't hugged enough as children. I mean, really, what is the problem with seeing pretty lights covering every surface of every mall and city-owned tree in town? Why do you hate joy?

These bah humbugs are usually the same sort of people who fret about the commercialization of Christmas. "Santa Claus is a false idol," they say. "And Christmas cards should all have pictures of mangers and baby Jesus, not penguins wearing scarves!" They get all upset that every year moms and dads camp out in the Best Buy parking lot for 3 nights just so they can get the newest $700 video game system for their unholy kids.

Ok, we all know that technically the whole holiday is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus. And it always was and it always will be. No one really forgets this. But, come on, where's the fun in that?! If all we did was celebrate the his birth, we'd just wake up in the morning, go to church, and come home to exchange gifts of frankincense and myrrh. No, I don't know what frankincense and myrrh are, but I can't imagine they're any good, especially myrrrrrrrh. Instead, modern day commercialized Christmas offers presents! and cookies! and candy canes! and santa! and santa hats to wear to the office! and special holiday lattes at Starbucks! With all of these bonus things--oh I almost forgot, Christmas bonuses! Cha-ching!--everyone is more than happy to celebrate Christmas. It's nice insurance for the Christian faith that followers don't observe Christmas the way they observe Lent, by either completely forgetting about it or half-heartedly intending to give up chocolate...during the week...but not dark chocolate...and not if it's a gift from someone because that would be wasteful.

The commercialization of Christmas means that the holiday can become an American holiday for everyone to celebrate together. So many non-Christian families have a tree and exchange presents. And what's so wrong with that? No one says you can't still put lil' baby jee in the limelight. In fact, that's a very nice thing to do too.

So let's all celebrate EVERYTHING about Christmas.

Ok, Linus?

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