*clears throat loudly and ascends soapbox*
It's that time of year - the annual "What do we call December 1-24???" kerfuffle. There are so many larger issues that I should be addressing, but as a person in a mixed marriage with friends of many faiths - and friends who associate themselves with no faith group, this yearly squabble bothers me. So here are my two cents. Well, actually rather a lot more.
First of all - define "Christmas." Lots of people of lots of faiths open presents underneath a decorated evergreen tree on December 25th. I think this is great - I would never want to take that away from anyone. However, this is Christmas as a secular holiday. (all you theologians out there, read on before you jump all over that statement). So in that sense, sure, call the days before December 25 the Christmas Season - just don't then say that you're calling it that for religious reasons. Because if you are a Christian, calling November 28-December 25 the Christmas season is technically incorrect - we are currently in Advent. (if you are an Eastern Orthodox Christian who does the calendar differently, don't start with me. I don't know how your calendar works. But I love you as a sister or brother.)
Continuing the "Christmas Season as a faith statement" argument I think, if we're talking about the whole season (not just one day), in our multi-cultural, multi-faith society we DO need to call it the Holiday Season - because not all of us celebrate Christmas. Telling my Jewish husband to have a great Christmas Season, for example, would be, well, wrong! And there are other faiths that don't celebrate Christmas. And that doesn't even start to cover my atheist friends! So personally, I think it's sensitive, NOT just "politically correct", to wish someone a Happy Holiday if you're not sure what they celebrate. Or even if they celebrate anything at all. But Happy Holidays is a pretty safe bet. I mean, heck, everyone celebrates January 1 as New Year's, so you can't go wrong there! (don't get technical on me - I know there are other New Year's Days in other cultures, but they don't happen during the period of time that I'm talking about - and if they do, well then, that supports my argument!.)
So actually, yeah, as a person of faith who wants to show love to others and respect for their faith, calling this the Christmas Season indiscriminately *does* kind of bother me - I won't go so far as to say offend, because people's hearts are generally in the right place - until they start coming to blows over whether to say Christmas or Holiday. Because I think that shows a bit of arrogance - *my* holiday is the only one that counts. And other culture's holidays count just as much, in my book.
For Christians, the "Christmas Season" starts on Christmas Day, the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, and continues through Epiphany. Oh, and just in case you didn't know - the 12 Days of Christmas are the 12 days *after* Christmas, not the 12 days before. I could tell you some Christian interpretations of that song, but it would bore you silly (if I haven't already done so.) So Google it if you're interested.
*gets down off soapbox*
I apologize to anyone who I have offended with this note. It's just my opinion and thoughts and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any Christian denomination or any other Christian, for that matter.
Just out of curiosity though - what do YOU celebrate in November (after Thanksgiving), December, and early January? Inquiring minds want to know.....
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