I’m writing this Christmas article on December 28th. On purpose. If the stores and TV advertisements can start telling me about Christmas in October, surely I can write about it three days after the big day. What ever happened to the Christmas Season? Personally I love Christmas and all its customs and traditions, especially the music. But I like it in doses, and not in October. I refuse to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. Whatever your preferred timing for the celebration of our Savior’s birth, I contend that on the whole we have messed it up.
There’s the big rush to get the lights up and the cards out, lest we be shamed for lack of diligence, or for “not being first”. We spend hours and hours preparing. This is a good thing, considering that the Christmas celebration indeed deserves careful preparation. And regardless of what you think about the commercialization of Christmas, you have to admit that it points to the power and influence of Christ’s birth that, despite their motives, countless major radio stations convert to 100% Christmas music for the Holidays.
But then…at midnight Christmas night…the switch is thrown. The rush is on…”forget about Christmas, we’re moving on”. We don’t want to be “so yesterday” as to be caught enjoying anything “Christmas” on December 26th. This seems odd, wasteful, nonsensical, and entirely backward. The sounds, fragrances, tastes and sights of Christmas, so carefully prepared and created, are things to be savored and enjoyed, not given the bum’s rush.
This brings me to an article that a friend posted on Facebook that conveys the thoughts of the great G K Chesterton on the matter, showing how far we have strayed from the wonderful celebrations of the past, when all the work and resources put into the Christmas celebration were leveraged into the twelve day celebration culminating in the twelfth day of Christmas. Here is the article, I hope you enjoy it.
G. K. Chesterton and the Death of Christmas
-Jim Mogel
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