Humbug?
Yea. That's my general opinion of the holiday season. And I have my reasons.
I won't mention the fact that Christmas originally stems from pagan festivities in ancient Babylon. Or that December 25th isn't the birthday of Jesus.
But, Jon, it doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts. Keeping Christ in our hearts.
Time for a reality check:
Christ was extracted from Christmas years ago by anti-Christian radicals.
"Merry Christmas" is passe.
Any semblance of Christianity in Christmas has been usurped by the true God of Holidayism:
Commercialization.
Rampant, rabid, relentless commercialization.
Buybuybuybuybuybuybuybuybuy.
If it wasn't for the enormous amount of money Christmas generates, the holiday would be banned.
But these are just my random, fleeting thoughts. No offense is intended.
The Christmas season is devised to tug mercilessly at our heart strings - and it does. Despite the frantic hypocrisy and acute stress, it exudes an incredibly potent amount of sentimentality - which is infused with a smidgen of truth and a generous dose of wishful thinking.
The magic of childhood, the warmth of family and friends, the golden glow of halcyon memories.
In retrospect, it probably wasn't half as good in reality as it is in the biased safety of memories.
I'm speaking only for myself, of course, not for anyone else.
My personal memories of the Christmas season are tainted with many (and I mean many) painful ones - some of which I would be extremely reluctant to write about.
I never celebrated Christmas as an adult. And yet - as a diehard sentimentalist myself - I love the essence of the season:
The colored lights and decorations, the fantastic food, the scent of pine trees and peppermint and oranges, the illusion of peace and goodwill, and especially the mystical spell of magic.....
....being mentally transported back to early childhood where sweet innocence and blissful naivety prevailed.
I yearn for the purity of that long-ago past - no matter how fleeting it was. I yearn for that precious season of contentment.
Somewhere, beyond all the frantic holiday fury, it can possibly still be found.
I, too, yearn for those very things you mention. In fact, I was staring and staring at this wonderful image willing myself to become one with its citizenry. This is the first year I can recall with little to show in the way of material gift-giving. Instead of feeling all stressed, I'm like, "Whatever." So happy to have stepped off the carousel!
ReplyDeleteMyra, I was hesitant to post this because I feared it would generate negativity. My words often sound more harsh than I really am.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm glad you understood what I was trying to convey. I think a lot of people have been "downgrading" their Christmas festivities lately and doing less gift-giving. It's all a personal matter, but eliminating the stress is most important.