Saturday, December 26, 2009
This post was stolen, in its entirety, from Micah over at Micah-Circuitry
Stupid kid said it better than I could. And don't bother suing me-- I know an IPLawGuy.
The only thing that you will hear about the Christmas season from some people is how overtly commercialized it's become. The true spirit of the season, the birth of Jesus, is being obscured by glow-in-the-dark plastic reindeer and TV specials, they say. We need to get back to the way that we used to celebrate it, without all this commercial junk.
My view is that, although, yes, Christmas has become overly commercialized, that is not keeping you from having a good season and celebrating the birth of Christ. Besides, this day is, in reality, ornamental. Recent studies show that Jesus was born in July or August in 4 BC, not in deep December in 1 AD. This day was picked to coincide with the pagan feast of Yule, a celebration of the return of warmth and longer days to the land.
But, whenever I take this critical viewpoint, I end up thinking that, well, they picked the right day, if not the accurate day, to celebrate the birth of Christ. Jesus was born in the Middle East, where, despite those pictures on Christmas cards, it was not snowing. But in Britain in the middle ages, winter was a time of dread. The game left. The life outside was essentially shuttered. But, just when it seemed like nothing could break through the impenetrable shield, on December 21 (close to the 25th, isn't it?), the sun began to come back. There were cold days ahead, but they would be longer days.
Likewise, Christ was the coming of light to a world that was reaching its nadir. Just as it seemed like hope was lost, a tiny child was born in a barn inside of a feeding box. He was the light of the world, a metaphor that becomes clear this time of year.
And, as long as I remember this, the inflatable snowmen and Best Buy sales, don't bother me. Does it really matter what some people choose to do, why some (myself included) spend time buying gifts and putting up lights as long as we know that Christ is not the reason for the season.
In essence, he is the season.
The only thing that you will hear about the Christmas season from some people is how overtly commercialized it's become. The true spirit of the season, the birth of Jesus, is being obscured by glow-in-the-dark plastic reindeer and TV specials, they say. We need to get back to the way that we used to celebrate it, without all this commercial junk.
My view is that, although, yes, Christmas has become overly commercialized, that is not keeping you from having a good season and celebrating the birth of Christ. Besides, this day is, in reality, ornamental. Recent studies show that Jesus was born in July or August in 4 BC, not in deep December in 1 AD. This day was picked to coincide with the pagan feast of Yule, a celebration of the return of warmth and longer days to the land.
But, whenever I take this critical viewpoint, I end up thinking that, well, they picked the right day, if not the accurate day, to celebrate the birth of Christ. Jesus was born in the Middle East, where, despite those pictures on Christmas cards, it was not snowing. But in Britain in the middle ages, winter was a time of dread. The game left. The life outside was essentially shuttered. But, just when it seemed like nothing could break through the impenetrable shield, on December 21 (close to the 25th, isn't it?), the sun began to come back. There were cold days ahead, but they would be longer days.
Likewise, Christ was the coming of light to a world that was reaching its nadir. Just as it seemed like hope was lost, a tiny child was born in a barn inside of a feeding box. He was the light of the world, a metaphor that becomes clear this time of year.
And, as long as I remember this, the inflatable snowmen and Best Buy sales, don't bother me. Does it really matter what some people choose to do, why some (myself included) spend time buying gifts and putting up lights as long as we know that Christ is not the reason for the season.
In essence, he is the season.
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Well said.
Tacky lights have been gracing the lawns of suburbia for many decades and stores have profited from Christmas sales even longer. "Miracle on 34th Street" is basically one long ad for Macy's with a hat tip to Gimbels.
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Tacky lights have been gracing the lawns of suburbia for many decades and stores have profited from Christmas sales even longer. "Miracle on 34th Street" is basically one long ad for Macy's with a hat tip to Gimbels.
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