The Roving Medievalist: November 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Reclaiming Christmas

(Photo Credit)

I've been dealing, lately, with young people who aren't very fond of Christmas. You may be surprised, but I'm not. I think that's more common than anyone realizes. Why? Well, I'm going to offer my opinion, so go hide under the bed until I'm finished.
Christmas used to be a twelve day feast, preceded by Advent as a time of preparation. All that changed, in America at least, with the takeover of Christmas, and damn near everything else, by big business, starting in the 50's. It's all been downhill since then. Now, Christmas is a month-long ( And expanding every year ), multi-media spectacular of conspicuous consumption. Yes, that's "the American way", but the American way is a crock.
I'd say it's time to take Christmas back from corporate America and try to regain a bit of the joy, mystery, and wonderment that I can still remember from the tail end of those days before Santa Claus came to town and "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", along with the true spirit of the season. If you're expecting screeds about the "war on Christmas" look elsewhere, because I'm perfectly willing to recognize Hanukkah, Eid ul-Adha, Kwanzaa, Solstice, and Yule as being in the same boat and in danger of being sunk together in the wake of Black Friday. That would be a great loss.
In the next month, I'm going to do my part, by using this blog to show a bit of what's being lost in the rush. I hope you'll all enjoy it as much as I will.