Preemptive Strike on the War on Christmas

I declare a War on the War on Christmas. And since the barrage of the holiday season has begun, I thought I should launch a preemptive strike.

Every year the religious right and the conservative news pundits claim that there is a plan to attack Christmas in America. I am tired of it. And I hate to disappoint them, but there is really no such plan. Non-Christians may ask for inclusion in the "Holiday Season" and there is no question that there are other holidays in the month of December. But a nod to Hanukah or Kwanza does not constitute and attack on the singular biggest holiday on the American calendar.

As a secular American, I love Christmas. And I know many other atheists who celebrate it as I do, with the whole nine yards: a tree (which has no religious connotation that I can find), gifts (which may or may not be a symbol of the gifts of the Magi to the Christ child), Bing Crosby (I even like "Silent Night") and the food (not to mention the drinks!).

It seems that many of the traditions which celebrate the High Holy Day called Christmas are not holy at all. They are more American then they are Christian. And many stem from paganism, sun worship and other pre-Christian traditions. Going to midnight mass may be the most religiously significant part of the celebration, but I doubt it is the most popular. If you look at the amount of money we Americans spend on the holiday you will see that the gifts, decorations and the special vittles are what makes it a Merry Christmas.

That's right, a Merry Christmas -- the greeting I use all December long. I may be an atheist, but I am not a humbug.

I don't focus on the religious aspect of the holiday, but I do educate my family about the true meaning of the day. I think it is important to understand what is being celebrated -- however secularly. To that end, I have a crèche scene. I love having Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus on my piano for the month of December. They come up from the basement in the box with the cookie cutters (stars, bells and Santa's boot shapes are my favorite) and the holiday themed movies. All of which are what makes the holiday bright for me and mine.

If secularism constitutes a war on Christmas, I would assume that the true believers only celebrate the parts of the holiday that are truly religious. But that wouldn't really be any fun. So why not drop the whole war idea (which also isn't any fun). Let's all wish each other a Happy Everything and get on with what that matters most: enjoying mid-winter celebrations of all stripes.

December has many fun-filled dates to look forward to, and Christmas is clearly a contender for champion in the arena of good times. Instead of having a war about it, let's have a party. I'll bring the eggnog!

Comments

[Crowhaul]

JUST REMEMBER....IF YOU DRAG a big green pine tree into your house, drink abundant quantities of eggnog and hot mulled wine, decorate the tree with bright lights, tell stories of Kris Kringle (Santa Claus) to the little ones, and fill stockings the night before with candies and little gifts, YOU ARE CELEBRATING YULE (which has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with a jewish carpenter form the middle east!!!).

Please keep this in mind this holiday season. ^^

Happy Yuletide To Everyone!!!

[fullkelly]

Actually the term "christmas" stands for "christ mass", but don't tell that to the merchants who still believe it means "greed".

Hanukkah (chanukah) simply means you can burn your oil lamps forever and never run out of oil. That is, if the royal Saudi family will give you some oil which isn't very likely- It's called "greed".

Kwanzaa is whatever you want it to be. Some people do not want to be part of the status quo of the estabisment so they created their own holiday(s). However even that began with "greed". The afro-american's citizenry(in general)roots go back to the colonial days when they were brought here so the colonists would not have to pay wages for labor. Pure greed.

HAPPY GREED DAYS EVERYONE

[MrsGreebers]

You know, I wasn't quite right. Christmas still has a starring role. But the War on Christmas believers seem not even satisfied with a starring role. They won't shut up until they have a monologue.

[MrsGreebers]

I still need someone to draw me picture demonstrating why this foul attempt to destroy Christmas takes these forms: the greeting "Happy Holidays"; the display of Menorahs as well as creches, the inclusion of St. Lucia Day, Kwanzaa and Eid on holiday calendars...

The only thing I've seen anyone try to destroy is to exclusive starring role enjoyed by Christmas. So tell me, why does sharing the spotlight destroy or ruin anyone's Christmas? I thought we were all adults here, living in a diverse country.

I'm also puzzled by your reference to Israel. Among the biggest support of Israel are the conservative Christians. Their teachings require that all that land belong to Israel as a prerequisite to the Rapture. They oppose a two-state solution or sharing of Jerusalem for that reason.

[Aaror]

Pagans are (or should be) happy that when they stopped the lighting of the tree ceremonies that the christians picked them up. After all, the lighting of the tree is what convices the sun god to end winter.
Jesus was born in the summer, only an idiot would schedule a census during the winter.
Jesus also doesn't know who Christ is, it is a Greek term not used by Jews of the time. It was adopted 300 years later, when the gospels of the other disciples were purged by Constintine (who liked Christ because it was similar to his name).

[sonofloud]

Nothing has done more to destroy the human spirit then the hatred and prejudice caused by religion.
Nothing has done more to destroy the planet than American consumerism.
What is there to celebrate?

[luziannagirl]

What I resent abt Christmas most is our culture's expectation that it be an entire month of frenetic activity, when 90% of that activity is built around ways to get us to spend more money.

If the folks who "invented" the "War on Christmas" are all about slowing the pace, cutting the consumerism and getting people to spend more time with each other, in the out-of-doors, and relaxing by the fire with a good book, great.

If they are simply about appropriating (read: stealing) more of our tax-supported public common space for their own particular (and peculiar, by many measures) religious expressions, which, arguably, ultimately are about getting their groups more money and power via more converts, not great.

[Dave24]

**Say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, I don't care - as long as these greetings are absent from town/county/state/federal property, I could care less. All references to or against "God" should vanish from all publicly funded buildings, areas, and mouths of politicians. This is a secular nation that allows for all religion by separating religion from the government.

[Fentwin]

It amazes me that just the mention of a non-religous attitude is deemed as an "attack on religion", yet we atheists are expected to complacently and smilingly accept any bleated non-sense the religious minded spout forth.

Respect does flow in two directions. I'll respect your right to believe what ever you want to as long as you extend the right for me to think as I see fit.

[avergejoe]

"It seems that many of the traditions which celebrate the High Holy Day called Christmas are not holy at all. They are more American then they are Christian. And many stem from paganism, sun worship and other pre-Christian traditions."

Yea, I've heard that bs before - straight from discovery channel.
What I find baffling, from all who allege such knowledge of history, is that you make no such allegations against the two other 'holidays'.
Why dont you attack them?

Yet, at the same time, you deny any linkage between Christmas traditions and the basis for Christmas - "gifts (which may or may not be a symbol of the gifts of the Magi to the Christ child)".

So as you pick and choose ways to support your opinion, you fail to mention the core message of Christmas - peace on earth, goodwill towards men. The ONLY holiday with that message.
One to be proud to celebrate.

So as you 'celebrate' your 'secular capitalist'
Christmas?, feeding bush's economy, you might want, at least, to try and wrap your brain around the message. Maybe after a few of those drinks you like so much.

[RobinLandseadel]

In the Northern Hemisphere, here are three days in the the year where the Sun's apparent highest point in the sky is at its lowest for the year. Not until the third day---Christmas---does the sun rise higher than that low point on the 22d, 23d & 24th of December. Therefore the "Sun"/"Son" is reborn. This wobble in the year's procession of the sun is the reason so many Deities---Mithra, Tammuz, Krishna, Buddah, Jupiter, Odin, many others---have this date of "The Birth Of The Sun" as their birthday, these celebrations around the "Birth of Sun/Son are as old as any ritual can that be recalled. Christmas is a pure astrological function.

It's only fair to note that Christmas celebrations were banned by Puritans, that's the real American contribution tradition of Christmas. All the rest is Pagan merriment. Later [just after the Civil War], Christmas was re-tooled for Corporate ends, thus the Santa [an anagram for Satan, but let's not get into some sort of "Childhood's End" conundrum here] industry, without which there would be 40% few big-box stores on the planet.

Next up: "Love Day".

[mikekev58]

I won't defend the silly attacks on the use of Happy Holidays or Holiday Trees. Just as Christians appropriated elements of various societies and cultures, so too the American culture will appropriate virtually anything that will make a buck.
What I don't understand, however, is that Hannukah, a minor Jewish feast, is for some reason elevated to the Jewish equivalent of the religious feast of Christmas. The Menorah on the Ben Franklin Parkway in Philly is wonderful to see, but are we to seriously believe that a major Christian feast is offensive to the point that a minor Jewish religious holy day must have equal standing? So be it if it involves the public square, I guess. But by the arguments made my a few posters, a Christmas tree on the public square is a secular thing, stolen from pagans and now merely a symbol of the light in the dark of winter, a reminder that Spring will come again. The Menorah on the other hand is strictly religious. As far I know, there are no creches in the public squares in Philly. But the Menorah burns (electrically) bright on said Parkway. Where is the outrage???

Kwaanza is a secular holiday, celebrated by many African American Christians along with Christmas. While it is not widely celebrated, Kwaanza reflects an attempt to contribute to African American culture and is compatible with Christian beliefs.

So, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Kwaanza to y'all; can't we all just get along?

[gigiz]

I think Christmas is for merchants; they are the ones who have something to celebrate when the whole thing is over.

[webmaker02]

Why Christmas Isn't Christmas Anymore
by Rex Bennett

Many in the right wing of American politics have been protesting that some people say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." There seems to be anger that other holidays for other religions are included in the holiday season. Some simply acknowledge the holiday, not a religious event. There is a reason for this anger, but in fact, it has nothing to do with Christmas. Christmas is being used to symbolize a protest that is actually based on another matter, the separation of church and state. But one cannot even be sure that the right wing is aware that this is actually what they are doing because it seems to have been sublimated so that the real cause of their anger is unknown to them. The right wing might truly be upset if they ever realize that they are not celebrating Christmas at all, but entirely different events that have been substituted for Christmas over time. They might be even more shocked to discover that they have never been celebrating Christmas at all during their entire lifetimes. It seems strange, but it definitely is true. (abridged)

It's the winter solstice. Get over it.

[researcher]

The greatest war on Christmas is the evangels war on the Christ in Christmas with their absolute rejection of what Jesus really taught. The biggest warmongers are the very people that profess to be Christians and worship Jesus.

This man taught compassion and love even to those you consider to be your enemies and what do we do: torture them.

Bet more evangels support torture than the atheists do and I am not an atheist but at least they are not hypocrites that profess to love Jesus and are warmongers and capitalists with a mentality of greed is good and corporate greed.

Christianity died on the cross.

We have more people per capita that profess to be Christians than any other industrialized nation on earth and what do we have:

Savage capitalism, no health care for 47 million, mega profits off the sick and needy, wars for profits, soulless corporations, trade blood for oil, individualism taught as a superior trait, more people in prison per capita than other country, largest military budget than all other industrialized countries combined, blame everyone in the world for our problems but ourselves, hypocrites for politicians, death sentence, huge drug problem, etc.

If I must be like those people that support those qualities above count me out as wanting to be called a Christian. No thanks. War mongering neo cons that use Jesus name to win elections; you are the very people Jesus taught not to follow.