John Grisham wrote a book called SKIPPING CHRISTMAS. Amazon.com reports: "John Grisham turns a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive holiday season, and the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25...."
My friend Dessa Byrd Reed, author of the poetry books THE BUTTERFLY TOUCH and SEVEN BRIDGES, prefers nontraditional holidays. She wrote in THE DESERT WOMAN that as a widow she often spends time with friends over the holidays, take trips, or simply goes out to eat on Christmas (not necessarily turkey). It's easy to see why, especially if you grew up with traditional Christmas expectations of warmth, family, and usually, expressions of faith. Christmas is under attack in this country. I think it was my high school AP Government class that asked us about cases involving removing Nativity scenes from public places. At the risk of revealing my ripe old age of 32, that was in 1990.
First we had the trend of saying Xmas for Christmas. Then Christmas sales started way back before Halloween. Now, the holiday season is more about parties, overeating and drinking, and commercialism than expressing spirituality, in particular and especially the Christian faith.
The secularists don't much like church, whether because of parents who used religion as an excuse for too-strict disciplines (or hatred and prejudice), drug trips in the '60s, or fanaticism (never mind that Christ welcomed everyone). This secularist attitude got wonderful treatment in a recent episode of "Jack & Bobby" co-created by Brad Meltzer, bestselling author and a friend.
When we try to kick Christ out of a holiday named for Him, our society has a problem.
What's been the result of using the euphemism "holiday" and banning the Nativity? Congress may not be making any law about the free expression of religion, but the elite brain trust is acting like the Church of England kicking out the Puritans. What's the result? Clashes over religion. Holiday depression. Loneliness around the holidays, especially in nursing homes. Suicide.
What's lost among the way? The spirit of giving. Warmth and compassion. Communion with family, friends and neighbors. And yes, that pesky expression of faith the secularists on the far left moan about. Ever notice that when it comes to their free expression of faith or lack thereof, they scream "racism" or "[fill in the blank] phobia" whenever Bill O'Reilly or anyone for that matter dares to pray or remind them that there is a God beyond their ideology? They accuse Christians of proselytizing but don't hesitate to lecture on what is and what is not offensive today. President George Bush is mocked for his faith, and Senator John Kerry, a Roman Catholic, seems to have his usual difficulty sticking to a point on thorny social issues. No wonder the conventional wisdom was always not to discuss religion and politics, and for whatever God's sake, don't mix the two (even though it happens time and again), and let's just all get along and sing carols at Christmas.
It seems that people are rebelling. The success of "Passion of the Christ," the Da Vinci Code and the Left Behind Series, as well as "Joan of Arcadia," "7th Heaven," and "Touched by an Angel" indicates a movement in popular culture.
Instead of skipping Christmas, let's take back Christmas in our homes and families. Unless your family members and friends are Orthodox Jews or Muslims, you can celebrate Christmas with them.
After all, Judaism and Islam recognize Jesus Christ as a prophet. Every religion celebrates the spirit of giving, from Kabbalah to Hinduism. We all agree we have too much stuff, too much food (as our overweight society proves), too much alcohol, too little kindness, patience and respect. We all want connection, love, belonging, and a place in the manger.
Top ten tips for taking back Christmas:
1) Make homemade gifts. Skip the malls. You don't have to be Martha Stewart to give something from the heart.
2) Invite friends or relatives to dinner instead of trying to give expensive gifts that no one uses anyway.
3) Don't roll your eyes when someone says, "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men." And for Goddess' sake, don't use the "men" part to launch an anti-male rant.
4) Whatever your faith, speak up and say that Christian-bashing (or bashing of any kind) offends you, especially around the Christmas season.
5) Get together with friends and family and make care packages for homeless shelters,nursing homes, etc. Make that your gift to each other.
6) Call those friends or relatives you usually avoid talking to. Hearing about your old college roommate's third marriage might not thrill you, especially since you can't get a word in edgewise, but it's a good way to give of your time, something we all feel we don't have enough of but make for friends anyway.
7) If you're just dying to cook that turkey dinner but your parents or mother-in-law insist on doing it THEIR way, give in. This is not a "me me me" time.
8) Rent or watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Linus' recitation of the Bible and the gang's rendition of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" could make even Scrooge smile. And even Lucy van Pelt admits, "Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he did get a nice tree."
9) Take quiet time to think, meditate, and yes, pray. Consider it the mental vacation to Tahiti you can't take because the family has camped out at your house.
10) Appreciate your children's gifts, especially the homemade macaroni ornaments. The first gift of Christmas was a child.
We've taken back our streets. We've taken back the night. Let's all take back Christmas, and we won't have to skip it. But if you do feel like skipping Christmas to restore your faith, do it. The gift of one less stressed grumpy person around the holidays is priceless.
Kristin Johnson is co-author of Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
Looking for interesting Halloween ideas? Perhaps you are looking for... Read More
Santa Claus Is ComingHoliday season brings the perennial return of... Read More
Flowers & Valentine's Day go hand in hand. Your Valentine... Read More
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!" If... Read More
The holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration... Read More
Whether you know him by Eros or Cupid, this son... Read More
As we reach the time of year when Christmas items... Read More
Have the holidays become too commercial for you? Are you... Read More
Gift Baskets are an ideal gift for nearly any occasion.... Read More
In theory Christmas is a time that is filled with... Read More
Last year, as I turned 50, (FIVE-OOOH!!!), I decided to... Read More
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th! Whether she lives next... Read More
Make these quick and easy crafts with your children for... Read More
If you were asked to name 10 reasons why you... Read More
'Tis the season to celebrate -- and a time to... Read More
Trying to fit all the planning and preparing and celebrating... Read More
Creating a gift closet is a wonderful way to plan... Read More
Holiday spending can be a wonderful time. We shop for... Read More
From the book A Heartland Christmas CollectionIn the first years... Read More
It's impossible to remember what gift is traditional for each... Read More
Christmas is one of those times when the social norm... Read More
Have you ever said "I wish we didn't have to... Read More
Maybe your significant other is overseas in the military. Maybe... Read More
Ah, the beginning of a New Year. A time to... Read More
Christmas dinner probably the most elaborate and complex dinners you... Read More
Teddy bears have been around since 1902. The teddy bear... Read More
1.) BEGIN NOW !!!Don't save your shopping, decorating, cooking, wrapping,... Read More
Mother's Day is approaching fast. This year it falls on... Read More
Twentieth through the twenty-fourth anniversaries traditional gift is china. Vintage... Read More
Forty years ago when I was growing up on our... Read More
Unique "Drop-A-Hint" Plan Sends Your Gift Wishes Via E-mailSure, they... Read More
Putting up and decorating your Christmas tree is a holiday... Read More
You can call it the emasculator of the old king,... Read More
As the holidays approach, I find myself wondering how I'm... Read More
Need help with gifts? Not everyone is good at choosing... Read More
Here are 7 classic kid birthday party game ideas that... Read More
Close your eyes and remember December, the smell of cinnamon... Read More
The carving. The leftovers. The endless stuffing. Actually, you love... Read More
At the end of the movie "Braveheart," William Wallace is... Read More
Many of us believe Christmas is one of the most... Read More
Traditional hand-blown glass Christmas ornaments never seem to go out... Read More
The stores are decorated in candy hearts, flowers and bears.... Read More
Maybe your significant other is overseas in the military. Maybe... Read More
Hasn't time flown? Only six weeks to Christmas!Now you may... Read More
There she was in all her glory. Long white lab... Read More
If you're having a Halloween party you need to play... Read More
The DilemmaAs a mom of a five-year-old girl, I have... Read More
After some recent reports it seems that 90% of all... Read More
Selecting the right gift for a special someone is sometimes... Read More
It is holidays time, and you've the money and you... Read More
Twentieth through the twenty-fourth anniversaries traditional gift is china. Vintage... Read More
It's back. The holiday season and all the challenges that... Read More
I was listening to one of my favorite radio talk... Read More
So Christmas is a few months away. Seems like a... Read More
Country Christmas Idea: Milkweed Pod Poinsettia OrnamentsAt first glance, milkweed... Read More
You can consider free ecards as being the same thing... Read More
Halloween is an exciting night for children and a busy... Read More
Fathers Day is the one day of the year when... Read More
MADRID ? For millions of Americans, this Fourth of July... Read More
You can call it the emasculator of the old king,... Read More
Easter marks the start of spring and is a sacred... Read More
Do you know a Mom who needs to be thanked... Read More
Make these quick and easy crafts with your children for... Read More
From my childhood memories, pride of place on the top... Read More
Putting up and decorating your Christmas tree is a holiday... Read More
Candy canes are everyone's favorite holiday treat. Just think about... Read More
Holiday |