Christmas in… well, in the Christmas Season
I would like to add my name to the long list of people who are seriously annoyed that various retailers have, for years, begun hawking their Christmas wares, hanging Christmas decorations, and running their Christmas ads in late May.
Now, before I start a rampage of (rightly) irritated emails agreeing with the above statement, I’d like to go one step further and suggest a remedy:
Let us all, all of us Litugically informed Christians out there, take it upon ourselves to celebrate the SEASON of Christ’s birth in the way and at the time it should be celebrated.
In other words, let’s start a Cultural Revolution! There would be many great benefits, both Spiritually (which is the Important Part) and economically (which is the Not So Important but Still Very Attractive part). Let’s look at a few, shall we?
1. Celebrating Christmas from Christmas Eve until the Epiphany (or even longer, as the Liturgical season of Christmas extends all the way into February) leaves us free to truly focus on the the ‘period of preparation’ that is Advent. Hymns like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” will take on added meaning if we are actually anticipating (in our cultural festivities, at least) the birth of Christ.
2. Activities such as concerts, novenas, nativity plays and the like will take place during the school breaks, when children and their parents have more time to take part. A great revival of Catholic culture is possible here!
3. For many people, Christmas Day has become a day of getting, instead of a day of worship and thanksgiving. If we celebrated a long season of Christmas, presents could be given at any time up until the close of the season, and perhaps the day of Christ’s Birth would become a celebration of more depth. A day that starts with the Mass, and then continues with caroling (remember caroling?) and the Nativity play… there are so many possibilities!
4. The cost-saving benefits should be obvious! A few days after the 25th of December, stores pile all of the lately coveted Christmas toys, decorations, clothes, foods and other items up on the shelves and slap up a 75% off sticker (I am particularly fond of Target… they have an amazing ‘after Christmas’ sale). All the wrapping, tree trimmings, lights and many many wonderful gifts are practically given away! The malls, so recently stuffed full of frantic shoppers, are mercifully empty (except for the returns departments, which you won’t be going near anyway). Also, as a former member of the retail establishment, I can promise you that customers who are BUYING during the After-Christmas-Lull are treated like royalty (come on, do your bit for the economy!)
I know I have barely scratched the surface here… and, of course, we would all be a lot more inclined to this plan if we knew others were also going along with it, so let me know what you think! Let’s take back Christmas from the Secular forces… they have done a pitiful job with it anyway!