December 17, 2009

A week from today is Christmas Eve. Time is running by so fast it is unbelievable. By the time we realize it Christmas is over and we are left with the fallout.

Credit card bills, overweight from all the eating, useless presents, greeting cards not responded to etc. And this is a never ending cycle. Next year and all the years that follow it will repeat itself.

We will complain but we won't learn and all the negative things will be done again. But that is still the fun part of this Holiday.

As much as people might complain about the difficulties of the Season nobody wants to skip it.

Many families are in dire situation yet they will still celebrate. Children will still get their presents, maybe not that many but there will still be presents.

As I said yesterday, I live in an apartment house. In our building Santa can not come down the chimney because we don't have a chimney. Here he will come up on the elevator! That's civilization for you. And it is cleaner too, no soot.

What bugs me a lot is when some agnostics or whatever they are, are complaining against the Christmas decoration or the Menorah or any seasonal remembrance.

Nowadays Christmas is not only for celebrating the birth of Christ. That is for the true Christians. Christmas is a holiday when all people can go about to celebrate their family, friends can celebrate each other. All this can be done without worrying about one's religion or belief.

This is not a christian country. This country is made up of different people from all corners of the earth.

Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and every other religion or non-religion can celebrate Christmas in their own way. The Midnight Mass is for the true believers. But Santa Claus is for everybody!

In 1962 the Supreme Court declared prayers in public schools unconstitutional. It was never mandatory but some people didn't like it. Anybody who didn't want to recite the words could have stayed mum but why not to go to court. I wouldn't be surprised if some bleeding heart agnostic would try to prohibit Christmas in the future.

This world is so full of stupid people that nothing surprises me anymore.

This time of the year everybody put up decorations appropriate for the Holidays. Might that be Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. In public places, apartment houses, office buildings they have to be very careful not to omit any one holiday symbol for they will be accused of anti whatever-ism.

Christmas trees are cheerful sights. Why some grouch has to complain against placing them in public areas or in town properties? Because these are miserable people who probably complain about everything.

I'm sure Santa has their addresses and he will skip their houses.

November 12, 2009

It was all over in the news today that yesterday they cut down the giant Christmas tree that will be erected in the Rockefeller Center and lit up on December 2 this year.

Well, Christmas is almost here. It is six weeks away and it is coming. Boy, how time flies.

But why is it coming back? Did Christmas ever leave?

I know that Christmas supposed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a nice, warm, apolitical holiday.

Growing up in a Jewish family we never celebrated Christmas. Actually, we did exchange presents but did not have a Christmas tree. When I was about five years old I couldn't understand why we didn't have a tree. I nagged to my Grandmother who eventually bought me a small tree. I was in seventh heaven.

Unfortunately throughout the years Christmas lost its charm, its importance and, primarily its meaning.

Now, it is nothing more than a shopping marathon. Stores stay open 24 hours or open and close at unheard of hours. Businesses prepare year ahead for this event. Some even stay open late on Christmas Eve, and open on Christmas Day requiring their employees to work.

Weeks ago the Holiday advertising started. Every year it seems these things start earlier and earlier and, last longer and longer.

It feels like pre-holiday sales start in July while post-holiday sales end in June. So, we have an entire year of Christmas. Now, isn't this a dream for the stores?

The only advantage of Christmas losing its religious meaning is that now almost all denominations celebrate the holiday. Just the fact that families get together, exchange presents points to its importance.

This is not an event when one has to get filthy drunk in order to celebrate. Just be nice to one's family, show appreciation to loved ones is enough.

The religious will celebrate the birth of Jesus but the rest of us will just sit back and enjoy the Holiday.