Happy Holidays

This year Yule / the equinox is the first day of Hanukah, which then proceeds in it normal fashion right through Christmas. That’s right three of the major winter holidays are all touching each other. I think that is cool, in a useless trivia sort of way. I also hope it spreads true peace and tolerance through all who celebrate any of the above, and while we are at it everyone else too.

Now in order to help keep things happy and peaceful, (and to keep my temper from causing my tong to get me on Santa’s naughty list) I am going to counter the three most annoying holiday rants from the last few years. To be fair I have not yet heard any of them this year, but the season is still young and I want my objections in a place where I can say “go read my blog” then move on. It may not change any minds but I can enjoy my holidays for a bit while my opponent finds and reads this which will at least give me a few moments peace.

“They stole that tradition from us”
I hear this from many of my fellow pagans. I hate it. The “they” is naturally Christians. The theory seems to be that since things like the Christmas / Yule tree and candles and winter feasts pre date Christ, and therefore Christianity that the Christians stole them. I have never understood how this is stealing. Yes these traditions have roots in Pre-Christian traditions but it’s not as if your neighbor having a Christmas tree prevents you from having a Yule tree. If you look at the history of how this happened you realize that it was the Christians trying to show brotherhood by adopting some of the traditions around them that caused them to end up using these traditions. That right not some evil plot to take peoples traditions but a “hey lets share this in brotherhood” adaptation. That is not theft that is in my opinion being all cool and Christ like. I am a fan of sharing what makes us happy so lets just put presents under our trees (what ever kind) and enjoy.

“When people say ‘Happy Holidays’ it is an assault on Christmas”
I hear this one from people who claim to be Christian. I say claim because almost all the Christians I know personally do not like being associated with the people who do this. The people who say this act as if this wish is an attack, a declaration of war against their belief in Christ. Thing is there are several winter holidays this time of year. I opened this blog with three of them, and there are more then that. In most cases the person wishing this upon you doesn’t know your religion, so they wish you something that will cover all bases. The people who make this claim are trying to say that only Christians deserve happiness this time of year, a sentiment that flies in the face of everything Christ stood for. Jesus wants everybody happy. Also with New Years celebrated by almost everyone that could be the second holiday that causes the word “Holidays”. Regardless treating a wish of happiness like an attack is paranoid and stupid.

“Jesus is the reason for the season” / “I’m not Christian so why should I take part in that foolishness”
The above are the same rant. Both are attempting to claim that Christmas traditions have not grown past their Christian roots. Here it is a day where we give gifts and all celebrate peace on earth. ALL OF US. While there are those (even some groups of Christians) who do not celebrate, the vast majority of us do celebrate regardless of religion. We do it for our parents, our kids, our families. I think it’s a great tradition. It hasn’t been a strictly Christian holiday in my life time. Christmas is about sharing peace and love. If you call that foolish then you are an idiot. No mater how much like a hippy this may make me sound, Peace and Love are good things and should be shared with everyone. You know who agreed with me on that? Jesus did. I don’t care if you think he is a fiction or have dedicated you life to his reality, the guy in the Bible real or fake is a guy who agreed with me on Peace and Love. The “reason” folk are trying to claim they are the only source for this, in a way that kills it. They are behaving exactly as Jesus told them not to in the Sermon on the Mount. The “foolishness” people are just being hateful. “Hateful?” I hear you ask “isn’t that a bit harsh?” Well if the “foolishness” is celebrating Peace and Love then yes that is the right word. What else is being opposed to Peace and Love if not hateful? Let us all agree to share the Peace and Love on a day that celibates a guy (real or not) who stood for those things.

Well there you have it my responses (in short and in part at least) to my three least favorite holiday buzz kill rants. Hopefully I won’t have to deal with any of them this year.
Peace, Love, Goodwill and Happy Holidays too ALL
Bradleyman.