I’ve decided I’ve been ranting a little too much lately. Actually, I’ve been ranting about the correct amount, but it’s Christmas for God’s sake! I flew 800 miles on Friday night to spend time with my family and friends at home. It’s time to let go of the hairy and scary and get with the Merry.
I’ve always been a big, big, big Christmas fan. I haven’t always decked my halls to the Nth degree and I’ve fallen off in my card-sending; nevertheless, Christmas is my favorite holiday. And it doesn’t matter to me whether anyone calls it “Christmas” or “The Holidays” or “Kwanza” or “Hanukah” or “Pretty Light Days in December.”
Until my multiple moves of the past several years, my Christmas took off as soon as I’d finished my Thanksgiving turkey and pulled the last of the marshmallows off the yams. (I often tried to get my mother to just bake the marshmallows, which were by far the best part of the dish, but she’d never go for it. She is SUCH a traditionalist. Needless to say, we never got the chance to deep fry a bird on the back deck, either. Sometimes I wonder how I survived such a difficult childhood.)
Where was I? Oh yes, Christmas began in earnest the day after Thanksgiving. I’d start by throwing my favorite Christmas albums on the stereo and later in the CD player. FYI, these are:
- The Carpenters “Old Fashioned Christmas” – hands down THE BEST Christmas album ever. I’m listening to it as I type.
- Nat King Cole “The Christmas Song.” It’s Nat King Cole! What else is there to say?
- Barbra Streisand “A Christmas Album,” which I love even though it’s always been a little weird that the Jewish girl is singing the Christian songs,
- The Manhattan Transfer “The Christmas Album” to jazz things up.
- “Christmas with the Chipmunks.” Don’t even question it. If you don’t have it, buy it now.
Once the tunes were going, I’d write all of my Christmas cards and mail them that afternoon. My friends knew December 25 was bearing down on them when my greetings arrived in November. Some of them were freaked out; others felt pressured. I hope some felt happy. My aim was to spread joy, but I’ll admit I liked being the first done. (Maybe Americans are too competitive.)
When I was in full-on Good King Wenceslas mode I was unstoppable. Smiling, singing, buying ornaments, trimming trees, drinking. (Don’t judge.) And I would have none of the Scrooges who spent all of their time finding fault with the whole thing.
Relax. I wasn’t screaming bloody murder about the “war on Christmas” like they do on Fox “news.” When political correctness started genericizing Christmas into “The Holidays” I was a little bugged – but I got over it. No one tried to drag me in front of a firing squad when I sometimes said “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays.” No one tried to burn down my apartment building when they saw a Christmas tree in my window. And I wasn’t bothered when people I knew chose to celebrate other non-Christian holidays. Of all the times of the year this is the one when we live and let live and try to see the good in one another. I’m for that no matter what label we put on it.
“Christmas” or “The Holidays” or “Pretty Light Days in December” are about elevating ourselves a little. Some people think it’s hypocritical to put on the raiment of charity for only a month a year and then go back to our old selfish ways the rest of the time. I always say it’s a start. For whatever reason, we can count on people to be their better selves at this time of year. That’s almost 10% of the time and it’s virtually guaranteed! I’ll take that for now.
It’s all about how you see it. Jesus, man or savior, wasn’t born in December. Whole segments of the Christian community don’t think the Bible provides for celebrating his birth no matter when it’s observed. How about we appreciate the good things this time represents whether we relate to Christmas or Kwanza or Hanukah or nothing religious at all. Personally, I think the spirit of the Holidays goes equally well with a dashiki and a big red suit.
“Christmas with the Chipmunks” is non-negotiable, though.