Would anyone like to see our current holiday Xmas celebration separated into two holidays?

How about taking December 25th and celebrating "Capitalmas" - a holiday honoring the American economic system that can make a poor man rich, or at least let him try. We can support our economy in a glutinous manner (if one so choses) by doing all our gift giving and gettin'. We will admit we are paying homage to our history of capatalism. We will honor the system in which anyone can get to the top with a good idea, lots of hard work and some luck. I am personally grateful my European ancestors left their very poor, war torn village in order to become middle class "shop keepers" in the USA. I am willing to make a toast to the economic system that made it possible, but lets leave the Lord out of it.

About 2 weeks later - when we have spent all our money, stuffed our bellies and get sick at just the idea of going shopping - we can examine our lives from the spiritual perspective. We can start by returning or donating all those unwanted gifts from "Capitalmas". We can do a little volunteer work for our favorite charity or neighbor. We can have a quite dinner at home with those we love - no wrapping paper - no tree that's all tarted up to look like a freak of nature, no whining by the children because Santa forgot the Nintendo, etc. We can just say "thank you" to our Creator for the real world.

What could be more ironic then to celebrate the birth of Christ (the anti-materialist) by gorging on material goods. I am all for generosity - but not when it is forced and excessive.

I know I am probably preaching to the choir here - but I just got back from my semi-annual trip to the stores and was rather depressed by the "holiday scene".I am sure I am not alone in this.

Happy Holidays Folks - however and whatever you celebrate.

-- diane greene from NY (greenwitch@catskillnativenursery.com), December 18, 2001

Answers

Have you ever noticed how after all these years "Thanksgiving" is still almost completely un-comercialize?

Your idea is ok but do you think we could do it maybe in August when it nice and warm and sunny, instead of January? August doesn't have a holiday.

Go down to the old thread section under "holiday" and see my thread on "A Christmas Story with tips ...."

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), December 18, 2001.

Too bad we don't keep Christmas the way the Jews keep Chanukah - for more than one day. The 12 days of Christmas begin on the 25th and go until the eve Epiphany, January 6. As I mentioned in an earlier post, too bad more people don't keep Advent, put up the tree and lights on the 22nd or so, and keep it up until January 6th. My kids are still singing carols and watching Christmas videos (and, yes, they get a small gift on 1/6) until that time. It's shameful to see those trees on the curbside on December 27. By the way, I went to the local department store to pick up some stocking stuffer candy and this particular store had no Christmas candy left, except for candy canes. They had put our Valentine's Day candy! Arrrrrgh!

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), December 18, 2001.

Sorry, that should be "out" in the last sentence, not "our."

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), December 18, 2001.

Diane, have you considered just opting out of the commercialism, at least partially? There was a thread here a while back on the subject. Just because the status-quo does things a certain way doesn't mean you have to follow along. I don't even like going to the stores or malls this time of year because of the way people get crazy. It's sad to see. The day after Thanksgiving I saw pictures in the newspaper of people running in stores when they opened. Waiting at the doors for the store to open and then bursting in and running full speed to apparently buy whatever toy is a 'must have' this year. To me, that says it all. I can't relate to a holiday that stresses people out. My kids have never whined about gifts, they go into it without any expectations at all. It doesn't take much to make them very happy. I'm glad they're not played into commercialism. Their wants are always simple useful things that they play with all year round. Christmas has been stress free for me for a long time. No rushing, no stress, no feelings of being forced or being excessive.

We put up our tree this evening. A nice full 7' douglas fir I bought for $15 since I have none to cut ourselves here. I keep things to a minimum on the tree because I think the decoration is the tree itself. No flashing lights, etc. I'm not ashamed we compost the tree a day or 2 after Christmas. My daughters birthday is on the 27th so I move on pretty quick after the 25th so as not to take the focus away from her day.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), December 18, 2001.

Oh yes, Capitalmas. I carry a black marker with me during this time to cross out the $$$$$, packages and pictures of stores from the the little signs that read "$$$$$ THe reason for the season $$$$$" They are replaced with a nice little cross.

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), December 19, 2001.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. You are able to spend the day with family and friends and you don't have to worry about being broke yet giving gifts to people who are broke yet still buying you a gift. I just don't get Christmas at all, If people are going to shop for a gift why not get something they need and thank the person they would have otherwise spent the money on? I bet we'd all be more realistic about the gifts we buy.

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), December 19, 2001.