Christmas makes me very uncomfortable. I have three kids who are starry-eyed about it, as kids are. And who wants to mess with that? Not me.
On the other hand - if it was purely a secular event (such as Valentines day) I'd ignore the fucking thing completely because it's such a bloody dreadful piece of commercial vampirism. I hate the muzak, I hate the cheezy decor, I hate the wintry Santa in a summer country, I hate the cutesy elves and north polar crap - I hate the whole professionally built fairytale hype designed to drive an already bloodmad consumer crowd into a feeding frenzy. And the unnecessary food, and all the damned candy, and the sense of obligation surrounding cards from people you barely speak with, and ill-thought gifts from relatives who don't bother with you most of the year... shit.
As for the religious side - I am so goddam non-Christian you might as well paint a big frakking 666 on my forehead. I resent the opportunism of the Catholic church, subsuming a perfectly good solar event and the surrounding Sun Hero myth into their paradigm of patronising domination. I resent the idea that I'm supposed to be impressed by and respectful of this Holy of Holies - which doesn't even occur at the time of year when, historically, Jesus was supposedly born. (That census which sent his parents to Bethlehem? Not at midwinter. Go look it up for yourselves.)
On the other hand, I greatly respect and admire many of the man's philosophies - particularly peace on earth, good will to all, and forgiveness. I can get behind those things. And yet those are the most marginalized, least displayed aspects of Christmas. Which only pisses me off with the Christian community all the more.
Add to this the fact that my younger son is born on Christmas Eve, and wants to feel special for his birthday. But every year, his friends are busy, on holiday, and desperately anticipating the really Important Event. So we try to have his party a week or two earlier, and we just cross our fingers, hoping it doesn't bother too many parents. The invites went out Monday. So far, not a soul has bothered to RSVP. He's a lovely little boy who's going to be just six years old in about three weeks: is it too much to ask that maybe he could have a few friends around to celebrate? Oh, that's right - it's Christmas, and the parents are all busy too.
Frankly, I loathe Christmas a great deal more than I can readily express. At least, without causing grave offense due to my excessively colourful language.
I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated this message. I'm always bewildered by the fact that friends and family always sound offended when they ask what I'm going to do for Christmas and I say, "Hide."
This year I'm determined not to get dragged out in the heat - I always have to do the travelling - and have to go places I don't want to much. At least all my rellies will be out of the state this year (g!) so I'm going to hide out with a bottle of Baileys, some really good cheese and fruit, some chocolate and a whole bunch of books.
And Xmas stealing the summer solstice. Definitely the wrong date and the only thing about which I agree with the JWs. Come on, nobody's going to have sheep out in a field in midwinter at that time and place; they'd have been in a byre somewhere.
See? Observer. Nice status, that. You can always play the religion card and say "Nup. But have a happy Hannukah, eh?"
Christmas for the rest of us? It's on some kind of goddam Default Setting. If you don't have a religion get-out-of-Christmas-Free card to wave - or you're not fortuitously dead - then you don't get a choice.
I wonder if there's an Atheists Against Christmas organization I can join?
On the other hand - if it was purely a secular event (such as Valentines day) I'd ignore the fucking thing completely because it's such a bloody dreadful piece of commercial vampirism. I hate the muzak, I hate the cheezy decor, I hate the wintry Santa in a summer country, I hate the cutesy elves and north polar crap - I hate the whole professionally built fairytale hype designed to drive an already bloodmad consumer crowd into a feeding frenzy. And the unnecessary food, and all the damned candy, and the sense of obligation surrounding cards from people you barely speak with, and ill-thought gifts from relatives who don't bother with you most of the year... shit.
As for the religious side - I am so goddam non-Christian you might as well paint a big frakking 666 on my forehead. I resent the opportunism of the Catholic church, subsuming a perfectly good solar event and the surrounding Sun Hero myth into their paradigm of patronising domination. I resent the idea that I'm supposed to be impressed by and respectful of this Holy of Holies - which doesn't even occur at the time of year when, historically, Jesus was supposedly born. (That census which sent his parents to Bethlehem? Not at midwinter. Go look it up for yourselves.)
On the other hand, I greatly respect and admire many of the man's philosophies - particularly peace on earth, good will to all, and forgiveness. I can get behind those things. And yet those are the most marginalized, least displayed aspects of Christmas. Which only pisses me off with the Christian community all the more.
Add to this the fact that my younger son is born on Christmas Eve, and wants to feel special for his birthday. But every year, his friends are busy, on holiday, and desperately anticipating the really Important Event. So we try to have his party a week or two earlier, and we just cross our fingers, hoping it doesn't bother too many parents. The invites went out Monday. So far, not a soul has bothered to RSVP. He's a lovely little boy who's going to be just six years old in about three weeks: is it too much to ask that maybe he could have a few friends around to celebrate? Oh, that's right - it's Christmas, and the parents are all busy too.
Frankly, I loathe Christmas a great deal more than I can readily express. At least, without causing grave offense due to my excessively colourful language.
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This year I'm determined not to get dragged out in the heat - I always have to do the travelling - and have to go places I don't want to much. At least all my rellies will be out of the state this year (g!) so I'm going to hide out with a bottle of Baileys, some really good cheese and fruit, some chocolate and a whole bunch of books.
And Xmas stealing the summer solstice. Definitely the wrong date and the only thing about which I agree with the JWs. Come on, nobody's going to have sheep out in a field in midwinter at that time and place; they'd have been in a byre somewhere.
Humbug.
The Grinch rules.
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Christmas for the rest of us? It's on some kind of goddam Default Setting. If you don't have a religion get-out-of-Christmas-Free card to wave - or you're not fortuitously dead - then you don't get a choice.
I wonder if there's an Atheists Against Christmas organization I can join?
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