Christmas is here and the commercialism factor continues to run high what with grown men in Santa suits, "must have for happiness" advertisements, and dwindling parking spaces at the malls. As usual, some stores have instructed their employees to say "Merry Christmas," others have instructed their employees to say "Happy Holidays" or nothing at all. People get up in arms over all of this. I understand why. As a non-believer I myself get sick of hearing about "the Reason for the Season" at 12 step meetings. As an atheist, I endeavor to extend to believers the tolerance for their beliefs that they often deny me for my unfaith. And there are those sincere Christians who grumble about the retail circus that Christmas has become. I have a solution that should satisfy everyone with a bit of work.
Quite frankly, if Christians want to "take back Christmas" I think they should be encouraged to do so. Here are some things I wish the Christians would do in order to reclaim Christ-Mas:
(1). The date that Christians celebrate Christ's being born should be changed. In this way, Christians can easily dissociate themselves from the retail madness that occurs every December.
Let historical research be done and let the Christians agree on some other date.
(2). Santa Clauses, Christmas trees, lights, decorations, the sending of Christmas cards, and presents should all be given the hatchet. Don't import the messy secular commercialism into the new date. Teach little Christian kids that only the ungodly indulge in such things in December and that as a Christ-like family, real Christians don't engage in worldliness. After all, the sacred and the profane shall not mix.
(3). Rename the new day. Christians can call the new holy day either Christ-mas [an old pronunciation] or simply "Christ's Birthday."
radical sapphoq
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