I think it's the cult of Santa et al

The parents I hang with make such an effort to make the secular version of Christmas "special" for children (as if it's not special already) that the religious bits get pushed to the side. The still small voice gets drowned out in choruses of "Frosty the Snowman". These are people who are horrified that their seven year olds would find out that Santa's not real!

I'm not sure if folks are trying to relive their childhoods, or just super worried about making everything perfect (I tend to think the latter), but ... well, it's just odd. I had a note from a friend the other day asking me how I kept my kids from thinking that because Santa's not real, maybe Jesus isn't either. That's what I mean by the cult of Santa... how far have we gone when that's a concern?

I'd rather go back to the Christmases you had as a child - or even the ones I had. Maybe I just feel the pressure as "the mom" to make everything happen? It seems like (though Christmas is my favorite part of the year) that the season is so much more about consumerism (buy, package, make things shiny) than it is about even the most slight spirituality. Or even, really, about the family gatherings... it's like we don't take time for each other really. :( And perhaps my feelings about that are colored by my own very rushed holiday efforts, jaunting from my house to my parents' house and then back, trying to accomodate everyone and everyone's version of "special". By the time I've gotten the mandatory bits of Christmas over, it's hard to get myself (and I'm by far the most spiritually oriented in the house) in the mood for contemplation of our Lord.

I see the draw to switching to the Jewish holidays, as some very fundamental Christians do. There's no way I'd get my family on board for that... but there's a draw. What do you feel at this time of year?

Jesus IS the reason for the season

But I don't think that any Christian I've ever met has chanted it for the benefit of non-believers. (Okay, maaaaybe when they make us cranky by taking away the city nativity displays or suchlike).

That quote, and the odds and ends that American Christians get up to (like making a birthday cake on Christmas for Him) to bring more Christ into Christmas, are, I think, for our own benefit. It is terribly difficult to live in this secular, commercial society, and hold on to the religious meaning of Christmas. I don't know what the difference is living in rural (?) Canada without kids vs. living in suburban America with kids... but I know I constantly feel the pressure to do more stuff for the holidays - and it's secular stuff. Bad stuff? No way! But secular.

I think what folks are trying to do is remind themselves (and their kids) that the holiday is not about the gifts, not about snowmen, not about any of that... that it's about our Lord coming to be born.

Thanksgiving is probably the closest thing Americans have to a non-denominational religious holiday. We are encouraged to think about the things we have to be thankful for, to spend time with our families, to consider our nation's past. It's a very special time for most of us, I think. And well it should be! I heartily resent it being almost the "rest day" before turbo-Christmas shopping begins, as well as some of the big stores being open that afternoon. I guess you can't SELL gratitude... :(

Your Christmases as a child sound wonderful! :)

Hugs and hope you're feeling well today.

Now I've scared you off

from YOUR own blog... :( I didn't mean to do it!

At any rate, I think we need some fresh subjects to ponder, having gotten into rather deep water with the salvation and age of accountability etc etc...

It's coming up on Christmas and Thanksgiving in the States... how do you make those holidays more spiritually meaningful, or do you? (I know you had your TG a month ago.. all that pie!)

I've pretty much given up the holidays themselves... they're secular and that's the way it is. Christmas is mostly about the kids and the joy. But Christmas Eve? Now that's my veryvery special spiritual holiday. And I do enjoy it. It's a time to go to church (mine usually has communion) and to come home to a nice calm dinner and spend some time watching the lights on the tree, some special time reading the Christmas story and contemplating the love of our Lord. I try hard to keep it special like that, which can be hard with a town full of family and last minute preparations. But... that's what I do.

How about you?