You know, it amuses me no end to point out to Christians that the holiday they call Christmas is a huge hodge-podge of completely and utterly non-Christian traditions. (I love this site at this time of year – The History of Christmas.)
In fact, the Church used to forbid opening the churches on “Christmas†because it was a holiday they didn’t support. Easter being the important turning point in Christianity. It was only popular demand (and, more importantly, competition from other Christian sects who were willing to open their doors – and collection plates – at Christmas) that got the big churches to embrace Christmas across the board.
Anyway, you can hardly argue that it’s anything except a secular holiday these days. It’s just the name is so blatantly biased that spoils it all. Still, I can’t come up with a suitable replacement name. Saturnalia just doesn’t work and besides, it’s just as nutty.
“Winter Solstice?†Too WICCA-wacky, with all the connotations of Gaia earth mother and cavorting druids.
“Yuleâ€? That’s a nice Scandinavian name, but, thoroughly associated with Christmas nowadays. The “yule log†is inextricably linked to the concept of Christmas. Few realize they aren’t even related.
Saturnalia, Juvenalia, Mithras Day? No no no.
We need a new word. I’m going to give some thought to that one. Perhaps I should draft the help of some Madison Avenue types. It needs to be modern, catchy, memorable and most importantly, completely without meaning – much like the names of automobile models these days.
Whatever it’s called, I did something this weekend I though I’d never do, and certainly haven’t participated in in at least 30 years. I put up Christmas lights (or “fairy lights†for our overseas readers.)
I did it for the kids, plain and simple. No one will accuse me of going overboard on the project, though.
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