Pondering Christmas
A former spiritual teacher and friend of mine, T Thorn Coyle, posted yesterday about putting Christ back in Christmas. She's a pagan. It's a brief post, but cuts right to the heart of the confusion that a lot of people, Christian and non-, have with the holiday.
These days I classify myself as a pagan, but I'm also Christian oriented and a great sympathizer. I was not raised Christian, although by being raised mostly agnostic, the cultural default in the US is Christian. My family did Christmas, Santa, and I loved it. I have fond memories of the whole thing, even long after knowing that Santa was just made up.
But these days I'm far more thoughtful about the holiday. I have a kidlet. What do I want our family to celebrate? What is the meaning of Christmas for us? What do I pass on?
I find the general theme of all the pagan winter traditions I've heard of to be quite in line with Christmas: rebirth of the su/on, light coming in the darkness, giving during the dark cold months, gathering to break up the monotony and to celebrate. I find that I can get behind just about all the symbols. But I do have a problem with Santa/Father Christmas. The latter speaks more to me as the Spirit of Giving, which is how we explain him to Bennett, even though we don't observe him in our house. Again, Santa for me, growing up, was harmless and totally non-traumatic. But I find the cognitive dissonance of a cultural lie to children deeply uncomfortable. Especially since Santa is equated with Stuff.
I like gifts - getting and giving. But I hate the rampant commercialization of the holidays, the obligations, the financial and time pressures that people and families face as they try to get into the Christmas Spirit. All of that is unrelated to Christ or any of the other winter holidays. I wish blowhard Christians would cool down about sharing the season with other faiths and expressions. I wish Christians of all kinds would back away from Santa altogether.
So how do I celebrate Christmas? Well, this year I didn't send out a single card. I love getting hand written cards in the mail, but it's a weird use of the world's trees to write 'Merry Christmas, love X' in a card and mail it. Some years I have funds and/or am inspired for a gift for some one and so I get it and mail it; other years I don't have extra money (like this year, our budget was carefully adhered to and mailing my nieces presents ate up several other people's gift budget) or I can't find the right gift, so I don't do anything. I think this may come across as thoughtless and cheap, but it's one way I keep the spirit of the season alive in myself.
I also celebrate Christmas because for whatever reason my family/ies, most of my friends, and the communities I have lived in celebrate it. Aaaaaaand I like it! I don't have to get on the Santa and Stuff train, but unlike Thorn, I don't have great issues with non-Christians celebrating Christmas.
It's all a work in progress. I'm sure our family's observation of Solstice/Christmas will evolve. Some years I'll sing in the Christmas service, and hopefully when B is old enough to sit through a service he'll come. Bennett knows who Jesus is. He also can identify Thoth, Ganesh, Mary, and an altar when he sees one.
Jesus IS the reason for the season, if you're Christian. Not Santa. Not cheap, plastic crap. But there are lots of other reasons for the season, depending on your persuasion. My hope is that people get intentional about the holiday, and celebrate in a way that has meaning and joy for them and their families, not just because that's how the 'overculture' (to use Thorn's word) celebrates.
On that note, I wish you all a very merry holiday of your choice, and here is Adam's yearly e-card, with a little something for everybody!
These days I classify myself as a pagan, but I'm also Christian oriented and a great sympathizer. I was not raised Christian, although by being raised mostly agnostic, the cultural default in the US is Christian. My family did Christmas, Santa, and I loved it. I have fond memories of the whole thing, even long after knowing that Santa was just made up.
But these days I'm far more thoughtful about the holiday. I have a kidlet. What do I want our family to celebrate? What is the meaning of Christmas for us? What do I pass on?
I find the general theme of all the pagan winter traditions I've heard of to be quite in line with Christmas: rebirth of the su/on, light coming in the darkness, giving during the dark cold months, gathering to break up the monotony and to celebrate. I find that I can get behind just about all the symbols. But I do have a problem with Santa/Father Christmas. The latter speaks more to me as the Spirit of Giving, which is how we explain him to Bennett, even though we don't observe him in our house. Again, Santa for me, growing up, was harmless and totally non-traumatic. But I find the cognitive dissonance of a cultural lie to children deeply uncomfortable. Especially since Santa is equated with Stuff.
I like gifts - getting and giving. But I hate the rampant commercialization of the holidays, the obligations, the financial and time pressures that people and families face as they try to get into the Christmas Spirit. All of that is unrelated to Christ or any of the other winter holidays. I wish blowhard Christians would cool down about sharing the season with other faiths and expressions. I wish Christians of all kinds would back away from Santa altogether.
So how do I celebrate Christmas? Well, this year I didn't send out a single card. I love getting hand written cards in the mail, but it's a weird use of the world's trees to write 'Merry Christmas, love X' in a card and mail it. Some years I have funds and/or am inspired for a gift for some one and so I get it and mail it; other years I don't have extra money (like this year, our budget was carefully adhered to and mailing my nieces presents ate up several other people's gift budget) or I can't find the right gift, so I don't do anything. I think this may come across as thoughtless and cheap, but it's one way I keep the spirit of the season alive in myself.
I also celebrate Christmas because for whatever reason my family/ies, most of my friends, and the communities I have lived in celebrate it. Aaaaaaand I like it! I don't have to get on the Santa and Stuff train, but unlike Thorn, I don't have great issues with non-Christians celebrating Christmas.
It's all a work in progress. I'm sure our family's observation of Solstice/Christmas will evolve. Some years I'll sing in the Christmas service, and hopefully when B is old enough to sit through a service he'll come. Bennett knows who Jesus is. He also can identify Thoth, Ganesh, Mary, and an altar when he sees one.
Jesus IS the reason for the season, if you're Christian. Not Santa. Not cheap, plastic crap. But there are lots of other reasons for the season, depending on your persuasion. My hope is that people get intentional about the holiday, and celebrate in a way that has meaning and joy for them and their families, not just because that's how the 'overculture' (to use Thorn's word) celebrates.
On that note, I wish you all a very merry holiday of your choice, and here is Adam's yearly e-card, with a little something for everybody!