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sobriqueSo with christmas coming, I often find myself in a bit of an odd mood. I mean, it really is a bit of a hodge-podge sort of a festival - in theory, it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and as such technically only really relevant to Christians. Strikes me that ... well, being faithful when it's a festival it a little on the hypocritical side.
I mean, a holy festival has, essentially, become a festival of capitalism and consumer debt.
But then, it does sort of end up as a bit of a stack of different festivals - Father Christmas, and the evolution of St. Nicolas. It's also no coincidence that Christmas is right between Yule and the Winter Solstice.
It's also relatively speaking very recent that 'Father Christmas' stopped wearing green. And it seems quite likely that Coca Cola marketing have left their mark too.
And that's before we get a wave of capitalism - busiest time of year in the shops, and a good time to spin up the advertising campaign telling you all the stuff that you REALLY REALLY should have in your life.
The original meaning of Christmas? I'm not actually sure there ever was one. The only incontravertible fact is that it's close to the winter solstice, and it's a cold and dark time of year, and as such it's a good sort of a time to gather together and push back against the cold and dark, with warmth and light.
I guess what I was wanting to say is this - there are many who see Christmas as something filled with obligations, traditions, and stuff they just don't like. Well... y'know what, they might be right in a way - we've got a lot of stuff packed together, from a whole bunch of traditions and sources. In the past, people have been discerning over the things they do, and don't want out of it.
There is absolutely no reason you cannot do the same. So with that in mind, I'd like to wish you all, a Happy Christmas.
I mean, a holy festival has, essentially, become a festival of capitalism and consumer debt.
But then, it does sort of end up as a bit of a stack of different festivals - Father Christmas, and the evolution of St. Nicolas. It's also no coincidence that Christmas is right between Yule and the Winter Solstice.
It's also relatively speaking very recent that 'Father Christmas' stopped wearing green. And it seems quite likely that Coca Cola marketing have left their mark too.
And that's before we get a wave of capitalism - busiest time of year in the shops, and a good time to spin up the advertising campaign telling you all the stuff that you REALLY REALLY should have in your life.
The original meaning of Christmas? I'm not actually sure there ever was one. The only incontravertible fact is that it's close to the winter solstice, and it's a cold and dark time of year, and as such it's a good sort of a time to gather together and push back against the cold and dark, with warmth and light.
I guess what I was wanting to say is this - there are many who see Christmas as something filled with obligations, traditions, and stuff they just don't like. Well... y'know what, they might be right in a way - we've got a lot of stuff packed together, from a whole bunch of traditions and sources. In the past, people have been discerning over the things they do, and don't want out of it.
There is absolutely no reason you cannot do the same. So with that in mind, I'd like to wish you all, a Happy Christmas.
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Date: 2009-12-21 12:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-21 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-22 12:19 pm (UTC)