Something About Christmas

 I promised that I wouldn’t be pedantic or mean about Santa Claus this year. I will let people alone as they do their cultural thing. I never told my kids that there was this guy bringing presents during the night before Christmas. My mother did talk to them about him. Thanks mom. Well, that was long ago and it’s all over now.

I think the way we as a culture do Christmas now originated during the Victorian era. It was a no no in the early years of this country, as it was considered a Catholic celebration.

I guess the need to have an end of year celebration is as old as mankind. We can sure understand that. The world was just plain gloomy and dark as winter closed in. Bummer. I suspect some of the ancients thought their party was going to bring back longer days, spring, and the sunshine. Or maybe just lighten the mood back in the village of round houses and so on.

Somehow it got mixed up with the supposed birthday of the Messiah. I suppose we must thank the Roman church for that. Of course, we must.

OK. It’s 2023, a very futuristic sounding year. What now?

I take a deep breath and once more try to figure out the correct place to stand. One daughter says the tree is pagan. Well, yeah. But our intentions toward it are not. Everybody enjoys buying or making something for loved ones. The kids all count on some good surprises that morning, and that’s fine.

I guess I think it’s possible to have an innocent celebration in memory of his birth, even if we have no idea of the actual day. People are a funny lot, and we do strange things for obscure reasons.

So, I will keep it simple. I have a lot to do in the next few days!

As Tiny Tim says in that old Victorian story, “God bless us, every one!”

My favorite Christmas song!