All
holidays are not equal
A
movement that was growing for several years was slapped by an inevitable
backlash during the early years of the George W. Bush administration,
which means it's okay again to look at the big green thing on the White
House lawn, the thing with all of the lights and decorations on it,
and refer to it as a Christmas tree.
I'm
not one to align myself with the Christian right – especially if
I find myself in the company of the usually wrong President Dubyah –
but for once common sense prevailed against the politically correct
euphemizers who want us to pretend all December holidays are equal.
Sorry,
but Christmas stands alone. Not only is it the holiday of holidays for
Christians, but the last time I looked, it was a national holiday, too.
Perhaps it never should have been – constitutionally speaking –
but it is. As such, it is sewn into the fabric of our country.
Christmas
also has become essential to our economy. This is bad news for many
people who have a special fondness for the holiday. For them, Christmas
has been subjected to incredibly crass commercialism, merchandised to
the point it is barely recognizeable as a Christian holiday. Ironically,
this sad fact sometimes is used as legal justificatioin for public displays
of things associated with the holiday. Christmas is pitched as a holiday
for everyone, much like Thanksgiving, Labor Day and The Fourth of July.
Christians aren't happy about that aspect of their favorite holiday,
but, again, that's life in the US of A.
You
have to be a grinch not to recognize the importance of Christmas. The
fate of department stores and manufacturers often depends on the Christmas
shopping season. Chanukah shopping doesn't cut it. Neither does Kwanza.
Nor New Year's.
Like
it or not, we all have a stake in Christmas. One thing's for sure: we
know when it's Christmas. Most of us don't have a clue about the dates
for Chanukah or Kwanza ... though in a way we envy those who celebrate
those festivals and ignore Christmas. They are spared the media blitz
that insists their children's happiness – now and perhaps forever
– depends on the perfect gift. For those people, there is no shopping
countdown, no constant reminders that a willingness to incur debt and
shove people out of your way may determine your worthiness as a parent.
And it's unlikely that Chanukah and Kwanza presents are returned to
the stores the day after.
Blessed
are the precious few who likewise observe Christmas strictly as a religious
holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. They're not like most
of us; we dwell in the world of Santa Claus where you risk being devoured
by a Gimme-Gimme Monster.
Yet,
magically, we remain like the whos in Whoville. We shop til we drop
and check our lists twice; we want every Christmas to be bigger and
better ... but, if put to a test when we roll out of bed on December
25, we'll tell you – and tell you true – that what's really
important is in our hearts, not under our trees.
That's
why "Happy Holidays!" is such a limp cop-out. No one sings,
"It's beginning to look like the holidays" or "Have yourself
a merry little three weeks from the middle of December until the first
of January." One specific holiday inspired so much literature,
so many movies, so many wonderful songs ... and so many jobs, so much
commerce, so much effort to dress up our homes (with, yes, so many tacky
decorations) ... but also so much great food, good cheer, warm memories,
love, brotherhood and forgiveness.
Whether
you attend church or are even aware of the story behind the holiday,
I'll bet one way or another December 25 has had a positive effect on
your life. So don't take offense when someone invokes the name of the
holiday to wish you well. No one is proselytizing. The only thing being
spread is good will.
Merry
Christmas!
JACK
MAJOR
