I hate Christmas.
It’s not because I’m jealous, or I don’t get it. My family is half-Catholic, half-Jewish. Cashew, if you will. We honor both Hanukkah and Christmas as a family. I always preferred Hanukkah, but whenever I tell someone I’m Jewish around Christmas time they apologize because “I miss out on all the fun.”
But why celebrate a holiday that is so commercialized the original message is lost? Even the holiday specials (Oh no! There won’t be a Christmas, but wait, Rudolph will save us) that are supposed to teach children about the true spirit of Christmas are so commercialized that any true spirit is choked out of it by the bountiful amount of saccharine pumped in.
People ask how I can keep up energy to celebrate a holiday that lasts eight days. How can Christians keep up enthusiasm for a holiday that lasts more than a month? Before Halloween I heard commercials for Christmas shopping. Whatever happened to the respect we maintained for Thanksgiving’s independence, let alone Halloween? We might as well change Thanksgiving to Christmas Shopping Eve.
If Christmas were one day out of the year I wouldn’t mind, but Christmas alters every holiday around it. Thanksgiving, now Halloween, and even Hanukkah. Hanukkah isn’t a big holiday religiously. But Hanukkah was elevated in the name of advertising dollars and marketing, so most think it is a lame Jewish Christmas. That means now you can find one Hanukkah-themed wrapping paper for every 20 that are Christmas themed. I’m glad they chose to commercialize Hanukkah, though, instead of one of the high holy holidays. Those holidays can keep their religious significance instead of the emphasis on money.
I like receiving presents, but I don’t make that big of a deal out of my birthday. Why should Jesus? I even like giving presents, but Christmas isn’t the only gift-giving holiday, so why do we freak out over a gift just because it’s a Christmas present?
The part of Christmas that annoys me isn’t the religion. I respect religion and anyone who has strong faith. However, Christmas trees, songs, and mistletoe — they aren’t related to the birth of Christ. All those cookies are shaped like jingle bells and snowmen only because people would feel weird eating a baby-Jesus-shaped snickerdoodle. People who aren’t even Christian sometimes celebrate Christmas, as a secular gift-giving winter party.
As to how I plan on spending Christmas. I’ll celebrate it in the morning with my Catholic family. Then I’ll spend the day as far away from Christmas specials, songs, and festivities as possible at a Chinese restaurant with some non-Christmas-celebrating friends. Then maybe I’ll enjoy a movie without having to wait in line. I look forward to December 26 when this whole Christmas storm has passed and I can focus on New Year’s Eve drinking.
Reader Comments
As a Jewish person, I can tell you that I feel the same way. A lot of Christian holidays, in my opinion (which is solely mine and no one else's unless they share the same belief) have become far removed from their original meanings.
Christmas and Easter are the first two that come to mind. I'm happy that Hannukah has not become as commercialized, but make no mistake, it too has lost its way.
Many Jews forget that Hannukah is the celebration of the miracle that G-d gave us, they focus solely on the idea of presents.
Commercialism rules our country... but at least I don't hear Hannukah music all day long.
I swear, working in Borders makes me want to explode! All I hear during our break is Christmas music (usually the same songs over and over).
It's been shown that playing Christmas music over and over again is Psychologically damaging to employees at stores.
Sue em? haha
Chicagobobcat, as a fellow Borders employee, I feel your pain. Do they play the Aretha xmas cd in your store? When she hits the high notes, my ears bleed.
I believe it was Josh Groban that they would play over and over last year... who knows what this year will hold in store? I guess I'll find out in a little over a week
Christmas day should be spent watching the TBS 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story. THEN going out for Chinese.
I'm not even going to go on my Christmas anti-hegemony rant.
In addition to the standard, once-quarterly anti-WalMart column, this is by far the most overused column topic in Post history.
Interesting opinion, but unfortunately this furthers my belief that those of you in college just quite don't get it. There are two aspects to your posting that draw attention to underlying fact that the responsibility to make Christmas, or whatever is pushed upon us by the commercialism of the world, what you want it to be, is upon your shoulders. You simply have the ability to ignore the aspects of Christmas that you dislike; it's just that simple. Further, the "commercialism" of Christmas has become a necessary cog in the economy of our world. Without it and a highly functioning economy, which ours is not, as it is not even close to firing on all cylinders, nor has it been for some time relying upon a debt driven economy that more resembles a ponzi scheme than economic growth, cannot function. Many, many businesses rely upon a strong fourth quarter to drive their year, therefore aspects and ramifications to a "weak" Christmas season can destroy small businesses and end up trickling down to parent's ultimate ability to send their children to college instead of directly into the work force. Be thankful for Christmas, it enables you to have an additional four years of paid vacation, and do all the drinking you want--otherwise you would just be going to work with a hang over, worrying about making your next month's rent.
It's time to grow up and take on the responsibility to make Christmas, or any aspect of your life what you want it to be, that's up to you. Personally, I think the warmth and love of my family at Christmas is much more fulfilling that getting drunk on New Year's eve.
jpehrler you are right on the money. furthermore, why is it such a taboo to tell everyone merry christmas. if i walk into a store and it is bombarded with hanukkah materials and the cashier tells me happy hanukkah I would embrace it, even though I am not Jewish. maybe it is just me.
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