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December 17, 2004

Comments

Mom

I suppose it would be too obvious for folks to go to church to celebrate Christmas. But hey, since I don't celebrate the holiday, what do I know?

cmc

I am of mixed Jewish and Christian heritage and I grew up celebrating Christmas in a secular sort of way. My family viewed it as a big hurrah that made the winter seem less bleak. While the holiday has obvious religious themes, I think its secular aspects often outweigh the religious in American culture and it is those secular aspects that to me are most charming (egg nog, gathering by the fire and general merriment on the shortest day of the year, candles, the tree, reindeer and sleighs, etc.).

I absolutely agree with your view that public schoolchildren should not be asked to sing Christmas carols (which are often explicitly religious!)and that expressions of Christmas really do not belong in the workplace. But perhaps the holiday would be more palatable for you (especially now that it is in your home!) if you were to view it as the Jewish members of my family have -- as a sort of secular seasonal holiday that has plenty of charm but does not necessarily signify anything about one's personal religious beliefs as to a Messiah or as to any other area of divergence between Christians and Jews.

mad

cmc - thanks for this thoughtful comment! I am trying to approach it as you describe, and as far as Christmas is now a part of my home life, that's how I like to view it. And that is, really, how Steve celebrates - a happy time to be with the family, full of good food and gifts and general good cheer. This is something I can get behind. It's the pervasive, in-your-face, my-holiday-is-ruined-if-I-can't-force-it-on-you, PUBLIC Christmas excess that continues to bother me, and which I doubt I will ever understand, no matter how much I grow to enjoy celebrating the secular, family-oriented aspects of Christmas with Steve and his wonderful family.

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