Saturday, December 15, 2007
Meh. Christmas
I didn't grow up celebrating Christmas, but, for the past nine years, I have been living with a guy who gets into it, so I went along, and had fun. Now that I'm on my own again, I just don't care. Maybe it's because I'm getting divorced and this is my first solo holiday in many years, or maybe it's because I'm reverting back to my pre-Steve state in many other ways as well, but I really have no desire to go through all the holiday shopping bullshit.
I haven't put up the tree, gone shopping, made cookies, or cut a single snow flake. I don't miss it. I asked my daughter if I should put up the tree and her response was, "Why? It's just a stupid tree." That's my girl. This year, she gets money. I think trees should be outdoors where they are happy. I used a fake tree when I was with Steve because I don't like the idea of bringing a living thing into my house, decorating it, then watching it die. Where is the dignity in that?
My life is very busy and interesting right now and I just don't feel like I have time for all of this holiday hoohaw. Was I only amusing myself with the Christmas preparations in the past because I was looking for something different to lift me from my ennui?
I have no sentimental attachment to Christmas whatsoever. I was taught at a young age that Christmas was a pagan holiday made over by Christianity (look it up, you can find the info in any encyclopedia) and, not being into lies, I never allowed an image of Santa Claus or Jesus ("Praise Jeebus!") into my house, and I just viewed it all as a cultural holiday. Not that Jesus is a lie, it's just there is no way he could have been born in the winter, and what does a Christmas tree and mistletoe and the Yule log and Holly berries (cough*pagan*cough) have to do with his birthday anyway?
Honestly, I don't care. I think Christmas is nice, people can act nice and do sometimes do nice things this time of year, and holidays can ease the winter doldurms. Let's not forget all of the Christmas parties. I'm not going to get into the rude behavior at the malls, because I think that would happen any time there are a lot of stressed out people condensed into one spot. I'll not explore how depressed some people get around the holidays, either.
Let's just think about the fun that Christmas can provide. If people want to have fun, then, by all means, have fun! I just get my dander up at the self-righteous hypocrisy that pops up every now and then, people mindlessly parroting phrases and going through the rituals with no thought to the meaning, and no self-examination. How can people go through their lives, automatically following tradition, without thinking? That always baffles me. And lying to their kids, ensuring the irrational behavior for future generations. Maybe people do it for the security. I don't know. Now and then if I tell someone I'm not into Christmas, I'll get a quivering lip and a teary eye, "B-b-but, it's Jesus's birthday!" Those people scare me. They are the ones who have the idea that celebrating Christmas equals being a good person that if you don't celebrate Christmas, then you must be bad.
There is the argument that, who cares about the origins of Christmas, as long as people are spending a day to celebrate Jesus? That quickly goes down the pooper when you consider the marketing, stress, billions of dollars, and commercialism. Not too many people are really thinking about Jesus through all of this. The ones who are thinking about Jesus in the middle of all of these distractions don't need Christmas to do it because they are probably thinking about Jesus every day anyway.
I wonder how many people would give up Christmas if they could do so without being pestered?
I enjoy observing the Christmas celebrations, but am very relieved that I don't feel pressured to participate this year. I love you, but don't expect a present. If you want to come over on the 21st for a Yule ritual in my back yard, drop me a line. I figure, if we're going to go pagan, why not go pagan, but let's not drag a Bible guy into it.
I haven't put up the tree, gone shopping, made cookies, or cut a single snow flake. I don't miss it. I asked my daughter if I should put up the tree and her response was, "Why? It's just a stupid tree." That's my girl. This year, she gets money. I think trees should be outdoors where they are happy. I used a fake tree when I was with Steve because I don't like the idea of bringing a living thing into my house, decorating it, then watching it die. Where is the dignity in that?
My life is very busy and interesting right now and I just don't feel like I have time for all of this holiday hoohaw. Was I only amusing myself with the Christmas preparations in the past because I was looking for something different to lift me from my ennui?
I have no sentimental attachment to Christmas whatsoever. I was taught at a young age that Christmas was a pagan holiday made over by Christianity (look it up, you can find the info in any encyclopedia) and, not being into lies, I never allowed an image of Santa Claus or Jesus ("Praise Jeebus!") into my house, and I just viewed it all as a cultural holiday. Not that Jesus is a lie, it's just there is no way he could have been born in the winter, and what does a Christmas tree and mistletoe and the Yule log and Holly berries (cough*pagan*cough) have to do with his birthday anyway?
Honestly, I don't care. I think Christmas is nice, people can act nice and do sometimes do nice things this time of year, and holidays can ease the winter doldurms. Let's not forget all of the Christmas parties. I'm not going to get into the rude behavior at the malls, because I think that would happen any time there are a lot of stressed out people condensed into one spot. I'll not explore how depressed some people get around the holidays, either.
Let's just think about the fun that Christmas can provide. If people want to have fun, then, by all means, have fun! I just get my dander up at the self-righteous hypocrisy that pops up every now and then, people mindlessly parroting phrases and going through the rituals with no thought to the meaning, and no self-examination. How can people go through their lives, automatically following tradition, without thinking? That always baffles me. And lying to their kids, ensuring the irrational behavior for future generations. Maybe people do it for the security. I don't know. Now and then if I tell someone I'm not into Christmas, I'll get a quivering lip and a teary eye, "B-b-but, it's Jesus's birthday!" Those people scare me. They are the ones who have the idea that celebrating Christmas equals being a good person that if you don't celebrate Christmas, then you must be bad.
There is the argument that, who cares about the origins of Christmas, as long as people are spending a day to celebrate Jesus? That quickly goes down the pooper when you consider the marketing, stress, billions of dollars, and commercialism. Not too many people are really thinking about Jesus through all of this. The ones who are thinking about Jesus in the middle of all of these distractions don't need Christmas to do it because they are probably thinking about Jesus every day anyway.
I wonder how many people would give up Christmas if they could do so without being pestered?
I enjoy observing the Christmas celebrations, but am very relieved that I don't feel pressured to participate this year. I love you, but don't expect a present. If you want to come over on the 21st for a Yule ritual in my back yard, drop me a line. I figure, if we're going to go pagan, why not go pagan, but let's not drag a Bible guy into it.
Labels: alternative, Christmas, cynical, holidays, pagan
