Drinking the eggnog - repost

REPOST from 12/24/08

In America, what is called the Christmas spirit should really be called "drinking the eggnog". Going along with the millions of fellow members of the economy and community.

American Christmas (which I will simply call December25) is not a celebration of the birth of Mary's boy child. It is a hodgepodge of centuries of tradition and American (consumerism / commercialism / materialism.)

I HATE DECEMBER25.

From the day after Thanksgiving to December25, we are prodded by our neighbors, friends, and especially family, to 'be in the Christmas spirit.' Which means shopping and decorating and traditions, most of which have very little to do with a stable in Bethlehem.

It is a solemn time. It is time to think of our fellow man. And to that end...SHOP! SHOP EARLY! GET THE DOORBUSTERS! Keep your fellow man in business by buying tons of stuff. Remember, consumer spending is 70% of your nation's economy. (However, now we're just keeping Wal-Mart in business because everything's actually made in China! Japan! Mexico!)
Got more presents for Suzie than for Johnny? Well, I guess you're going back to the mall to balance the piles of presents!

But...it's the holiday season. December25 is coming soon! And it's just not December25 without...(fill in the blank.... family!... in-laws!... the tree!... Santa!... Santa's milk and cookies!... Recording Christmas specials on tape!...)  Who cares why we started half these traditions...we did it last year, and by Montgomery Ward Rudolph's red nose, we'll do it again!

Oh, and no December25 is complete without the good Dr. Christian whining and moaning about the Christmas Wars...evil retailers who won't mention Christmas. Who cares that the only thought of Christ is a token midnight mass at the end of the December25 season. No...if the retailer's won't mention Christmas...boycott!