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Well, Christmas is almost upon us and I have been notably silent with a few exceptions on the subject.
As we all know, I hate Christmas down to my very bones. I have no idea why although I have some suspicions and at this point, it doesn't matter; it's not going to get better and I am not going to be suddenly and miraculously blasted through with the "true meaning of Christmas" like some Hallmark special.
Ain't gonna happen.
I still don't know what I'm going to "do" about Christmas and there are many factors to consider, some out of my hands, so at this point I am ignoring it and hoping it will simply go away. It's easy if you stay out of the mall.
I was discussing this at yoga today with my teacher and the one other student in the class. Both of them are Catholic and they were tolerant of my heresy as I pointed out that Christmas is essentially celebrated when it is because of the ancient Pagan holiday which was no doubt created to get us through the long days of winter and that also, yes, I do think it's very cool that Jesus was born, etc., but in my beliefs, EVERY baby that is born is Christlike or Buddha-like and so what's the big deal with that one particular baby?
I mean really, do we believe his mother was a virgin?
Hmmm. The midwife must have had a few problems with THAT delivery but oh well.
So my teacher, bless her heart, suggested lightheartedly that I COULD become a Christian and then I would have reason to celebrate and I said something like if Jesus wants me, he's going to have to find me, quoting a Lyle Lovett song, but to myself I was thinking that it was just about as possible that I would become a Santeria priestess.
At least that way I'd get to wear really cool clothes and smoke giant cigars and drink mass quantities of rum and slice through chickens and other small farm animals with a machete and dance myself into a trance where I could speak to the dead and channel their voices and I'd get paid for it!
Man. That would be AWESOME!
And I just keep thinking about the poor baby Jesus who has been dragged from the manger to the mall in a short 2000 or so years- as if it wasn't bad enough that he was born with the unbearable weight of being destined to save mankind by being nailed to a cross.
And I think about the poor Christians who have been waiting for his imminent return for these 2000 years and who are passing the time by buying junk no one needs and putting up Christmas trees which are Pagan in origin and continuing to talk about a baby born in a manger while all around the world and even in my neighborhood, babies are being born every day, no one noticing that they, too, are god, they too are born of a miracle, destined for who knows what while the world keeps turning and the days will begin to become longer and the light will return again.
I don't even want to think about it. I am broke and blocked on any creative presents for people. Can we just start over on New Year's?
ReplyDeleteThe commercialization of Christmas has been decried ad nauseaum, and I couldn't agree more. But I can say that as I've pared it down more and more each year, I've discovered its meaning, and that's something different for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI don't begrudge Christians their celebration any more than I would Muslims their Ramadan, Hindus their holy days or Jews theirs. And since I became an active member of our Methodist Church here, what I see is very different from what the media portray.
What I see is people without much giving until it hurts; families doing without so that they can provide gifts to the hundreds of very low-income families in our area; people volunteering their time to visit the forgotten in nursing homes; the whole faith community coming together without discrimination to feed the hungry and collect money for medical clinics in Africa and other places where the need is overwhelming.
I think what I'm seeing is the real Christmas, the faith by works part of the teachings of Jesus being lived out. And I can't feel cynical about any of it.
And at least in my small church, there is no sense that the poor Christians are still waiting for the second coming. They are too engaged in reaching beyond their own lives to light the way for others, not to convert anyone but simply because they know the world is in pain, and it's something required of them.
Some churches may have long lists of rules. When he started the Methodist Church, John Wesley only had three: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.
So while I'm a curmudgeon about a lot of the ways Christmas is twisted into a shopping frenzy, I have no problem with also celebrating the winter solstice with a Pagan tree, including Jewish and Muslim readings in our community services, and looking for ways to observe the birth of Jesus by serving others. I guess it's what you make it.
Jesus wan't even born on Christmas. It's all bulls*#%*.
ReplyDeleteNow, that being said...I love any excuse to par-tay! We've cancelled "Christmas" this year (see: gift-giving) and have decided just to do a nice dinner, drink some great wine and celebrate just another day with people we love.
Okay, so it's not a literal birthday but a figurative one. Whatever. My point is only that "meaning" is both where you look for it and where you find it. Each to his own. Party. Pray. Give. Don't give. I'm just for respecting people of faith as much as those who aren't.
ReplyDeleteDTG- let's just eat and play Apples to Apples. How's that sound?
ReplyDeleteNannygoat- see, I wish I felt the way you feel. But I just can't. I SHOULD be out there volunteering and doing good for the poor but here's the thing- why does everyone do that in December? Why not July? We all get this "spirit" and then we give, give, give, whether to each other or others in need or ourselves and why only then? It's like the baby thing.
And I wish I could have a faith to lean on, to believe in, that would fill me up and give me that sense of belonging and right-ness.
But even with Martin Luther's original three rules, I could only follow two of them. Or try, anyway. The loving god part just means nothing to me. Perhaps I just need to learn to define god differently but I have been trying for a long time and so far- it isn't working.
But I am glad for you that you have these things. Your church and community sound wonderful.
And I too, believe that everyone should be allowed their faith and the right to celebrate their holy days. I do. But here in America, at least, if you're not Christian, it feels like you're being forced to observe a holy day (in a very commercial way, usually) that you don't believe in. That is not your holy day.
BlackEyedP- Sounds good to me!
OK, just think of it as an excuse for your family to get together - I know you like those occasions!
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ReplyDeleteHonestly Mrs. Moon, I could just as well skip Christmas. I go thru the motions for my kids. On the years Ceara was at her dad's for the holidays, I didn't even bother putting up a tree. When I was a kid, I used to invent an illness every year to avoid the holiday family get together.
ReplyDeleteIf it could just be a quiet celebration of all life, I would happily embrace it. But I hate the mad dash to the stores, spending money I don't have and running up credit card debt and hoping I bought 'the right gift.' I hate the forced family time, since most of the family members hate each other. And they all think I'm weird for having a baby via anonymouse donor insemination and I'm sick of being looked at like I'm a freak, and I'm sick of my son being 'examined' for evidence that he's somehow a freak too.
Bah Humbug. Or as my best friend (another person irritated by it all) likes to say:
HAPPY FUCKIN' HOLIDAYS.
You know, I suspect that only in America have we done this to a perfectly innocent holiday. "Christmas" isn't to blame! The marketing gurus and we their sheep are now either lovers of it or haters of it, but either way, what was a perfectly reasonable holiday whether for the religious or the pagans now has us all up in arms complaining. So why not either do it our way -- or not. And I will say one thing, Ms. Moon, the people Nannygoat goes to church with are a fine bunch who help each other and those around the world ALL the months -- and they're in the only county in West Va. that voted for Obama. These are the most liberal bunch of Christians I've known. I would actually go to church if I lived there just because they're a cool, loving, giving bunch, Christmas or not. Yep, it's true. "The Christian Left" exists! :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, Christmas now is mostly about remembering how special our parents made Christmas for us, year after year, without going nuts. I am as non-traditional as you can get but in my elder years have come to appreciate holidays as at least "markers of time" and hopefully GOOD TIMES.
I don't think people just give at Christmas, but I think it is a human thing to mark milestones, Christians with Christms, The Muslims are currently celebrating a holy day marking the end of the year where they give money to the needie and presents to each other, The Jewish people have Hannuka. Yes, it would be nice if people gave all year, and some day. For example tithing in the Christian churches. But isn't it enough to find a reason to celebrate, whether it is Christmas or just the marking of another year? After all, the end of a year is even more random then Christmas that goes back millineum, yes to pagans, and it was based off of environmental issues, not just a date that marks the end of one passage of time and starts another. And even if the only reason that Christmas existed was to give money to those less fortunate to buy food and toys to help all people have one day or one week of posesions and food in their stomache? Better one month a year, then never. Yes, I do believe that Christmas is what you make it. That is why my favorite words at this time of year are Believe, joy, hope, love, PEACE. And as I have dear friends and family in other parts of the world, I have to say, that their commercialization is just as "bad" as ours. We Americans just love to take on blame. And in many ways, I can not argue with that. But... can we not remember the words of John Lennon at this time of year? So this is Chirstmas, and what have you done? to paraphrase my favorite Christmas song. Whine if you wish, or for a few days each year, step out of your self observed selves, and join in with the rest of the herd by thinking bigger and broader of humans. To have the pleasure of giving back some of our prosperity. To spend just a few days each year doing the right thing. Please don't take that away!
ReplyDeleteAnd happy holidays to all, no matter how you celebrate them!
Anonymous- you point out some very good arguments for celebrating Christmas and I hope yours is a wonderful one.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way- my favorite Christmas song is So This Is Christmas as well.
War is over if you want it....
My dad works with this faith based (christian) organization locally. They collect food and clothing, furniture, whatever they can to provide to people who are in serious need.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really great service.
I just found out that they rejected (rejected!) some donations because they came from a Wiccan group and they didn't think that would "look right" to some of the churches they work with
.
So, now poor children that could have been fed/clothed will go without because it wouldn't "look right" to to accept goods given in good faith by Wiccans.
I don't know why, but your post made me think about how annoyed I am by that.
F*cking Christians/Christmas. What a bunch of crap.
All right. That's just wrong.
ReplyDeleteWiccan donations aren't good enough?
Whoa.
Where do I sign up to be a Wiccan?