Monday, December 14, 2009

Take Christ OUT of Christmas

What? Yep! Robin Parry has a marvelous post about taking Christ out of Christmas:

Let me explain. For the majority of people in Britain Christmas is a time for families to get together, exchange presents, eat good food, watch TV (, and argue).

I have nothing against this.
I like presents.
I like good food.
I like worthwhile TV.
I like families.
(but which is best? There's only one way to find out ... [that parochial allusion will make no sense ot Americans])

But this is not Christmas. It is a secular Winter Festival. So here is my inclination - Let's take the 'Christ' out of 'Christmas' and call it for what it is - Wintermas.

<idle musing>
Take the time to read it all. I agree with him. Let's take Christ out of Christmas!
</idle musing>

6 comments:

Joel and Renée said...

interesting. I like your profile pic. :) -Renee

jps said...

Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

change "christmas" to "wintermas?" makes sense to me too.

Andy said...

"Keeping Christ in Christmas" really only makes sense if we also allow "Keep Saturn in Saturnalia."

Steve Wiggins said...

Good post -- I wrote on the same subject with a different take yesterday. We should be honest about what Christmas is; the year-end holiday (or the New Year, which is part of the same holiday complex).

jps said...

charlie, how are you? I was thinking of you the other day.

Andy, sure, why not? And keep the Kwan in Kwanzaa, too; and the נוך (nuk) in Hanukkah, too :)

Steve, yes, I saw it. I especially liked your emphasis that it is a capitalistic celebration—the true god of the U.S. :(

James