I listen to news/talk radio and alternate between NPR and the other kind. The frequent - no, incessant stories about the war on Christmas and how the term “Happy Holidays” is undermining Our Great Nation was upsetting me. This was not putting this lapsed Catholic in the holiday mood. (Yeah, “holiday mood”, not “christmas spirit”).
Then I heard about the pressure on companies to pull advertisements from a boring reality show I wouldn’t watch in a million years. Great choice, now - do I support religious bigotry or bad art?
THEN I read that all the supporters of companies that cave to bigotry are signing their emails “Merry CHRISTmas” …
And that is it, I just can’t take anymore.
I’m not even going to argue about it. I’m boycotting Christmas this year because it has become a nasty hate-filled celebration of ignorance and bigotry.
You won’t get my tree and my candles and my gift-giving, because they are just traditions that were co-opted by a minor monotheistic holiday, but this is not your Christmas I will be celebrating.
I think I’ll spending the day researching National Socialist Party propaganda looking for parallels.
I know what you mean… But… Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Do all the fun stuff. Bake cookies, make up a batch of godawful egg-nog, find a CD of Victorian or Elizabethan carols, try to find gifts that your loved ones will actually appreciate, try actually to appreciate the gifts they give you, get a nice fire going in the fireplace, donate a few bucks to a worthy charity, give a modest tip to your favorite salesclerks, build a snowman…
(Okay, for those of us in desert climes, that last is a bit tricky…)
You gotta get Humpty Dumpty here: who is to be in charge? That’s all. Don’t let evil people control the agenda. “Happy Holiday” 'em. Let them be the Scrooge, not you.
(The preceding has been brought to you by Little Miss Sunshine tm.)
Seriously, everything else in your post was a good idea, but this one I had to ask about.
Per the OP, as a Christian, even a conservative one, I’m getting a bit teed off by those of my friends who seem to want to co-opt Christian faith to make a political statement. I think some of them just haven’t looked at it clearly, but it’s bothersome nonetheless. I’m trying to decide how many people I want to tick off by posting a public comment about it.
Yah, that’s an argument that I decided to forgo years ago. It’s just not worth it, because I just don’t care enough to argue about it.
For me, Christmastime is a happy childhood memory that I revive every year through little traditions like baking, shopping at Christkindlmarkt and playing lots of Christmas music, and enjoying the tree decorations and exchanging gifts. The whole “happy birthday Jesus” thing is just coincidental any more.
With my family, just going with it is far easier than removing myself and boycotting. Plus, there would be no presents that way.
There are a handful of others; hit Amazon (if you’re an Amazonian like I am!) and search “Elizabethan Christmas” in “music.” Lots of really good stuff!
(I always wondered how “three ships came sailing in” to Jerusalem, which is quite a distance from any seaport! And yet…what a beautiful, beautiful song!)
As for the rest, don’t let the bummers grind ya down. Five per cent of any large group of people will be stinkers. They are the ones who cause 95% of the world’s problems. The least we can do is…not listen to 'em!
Oh, I am going evergreen and candle and presents con crecer. I know how to celebrate the season of thanks for the sun and hope for the spring.
But the only christmas carole I will sing is “Adeste Fideles”, just because the bigots will wonder if it’s mud-people speak. Well, and because it really is a beautiful song.
not having anything to do with Christmas but I’ve yet to see a reality show that was anything but the most egregious examples of ill mannered-people being complete assholes to each other.
If you have the urge to boycott something, consider the people who make big money on shows that exploit the worst of humanity.
Interestingly, the “problem” with the reality show in question, according to those who are pressuring companies to pull their advertising, is that the people are too nice and normal.
I just went shopping and bought presents, ornaments to hang on an evergreen tree, and tonight I will be draping lights all over my own tree.
The presents at this time of year, before the coming season of cold and dark and therefore want (well, historically, anyhow), are a symbol of my willingness to share what I have with those I love, according to their needs and my abilities.
The lights are to acknowledge my thanks that the days will be getting longer soon, heralding the return of warmth; the tree my faith that life is resting only, and will return with the warmth in spring.
That is truly disturbing. I’d heard years ago that China had copied our reality shows (big surprise) but instead of all the backstabbing fowl mouthed jackasses treating each other like dirt they had teams who co-operated with each other in what we once thought of as good sportsmanship.
Well that explains everything. The people who watch these programs WANT the melodrama. I don’t know if it’s life imitating art but when I was a kid the programs on the big three networks were more on the order of Father knows best or Patty Duke. My parents were very much like those on the show.
Trying to imagine what society will look like 40 years from now.