Son of Rant

I am a Christian and I celebrate Christmas. I love Christmas. At the moment it is Advent, which we keep simply, but there are Christmas preparations afoot: cards being written & stamped with a Madonna and Child stamp (purchased from the United States Postal Service), purchasing and making gifts, baking a dozen egg nog mini-bundt cakes for assorted teachers and staff. The Child has an Advent concert at school on Friday and Lessons and Carols at church on Sunday. We are all looking forward to Christmas break.

When I go out shopping this week I will see garlands, lights and trees in all the stores. These decorations will speak Christmas to me because it is Christmastime. Everybody knows it. It's almost Hannukah, too, but I've learned from my Orthodox neighbors that it is a lesser feast in their tradition. While Easter and Passover are equivilent in importance and meaning, Christmas and Hannukah aren't. Except for the candles. But aside from the occassional menorah or monster-sized driedle, the stores are all decorated specifically for Christmas and, as I said, everyone knows it.

In no time at all, it will be Christmas Eve. We'll put up the tree and The Child will place the handkerchief angel on the top like she does every year. There will be the glory of the Vigil Mass, the robed children replicating the angel chorus, the garlands stretching between arches, paroles and ribbons hanging down from the oculus, the thick cloud of incense, all heralding the birth of the Babe born in a manger. The beautiful, song-filled, pine scented twelve days will begin. (The Church figures that if you are going to celebrate something like the incarnation of God you might want to take more than one day to do it).

It's Christmastime in the city, even for those who don't actually believe the Christmas story. Regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof, this is a time to reflect on the timeless and resonant message of peace on earth, goodwill to all. Every time I make a purchase the clerk will wish me happy holidays. I will wish the same back. Although I might, depending on the circumstance, respond with "Merry Christmas", as that is the feast I celebrate. If I've judged aright, the clerk will smile and return "Merry Christmas".

Let me tell you a story about political correctness. We used to live next door to a very godly, very devout Jewish gentleman, Reb B. He came here as a child, a refugee, having lost nearly all his family in the Holocaust. One year, when Passover and Easter fell in the same week, The Child and I paid a call. His two grandsons, with their wives and children, were in for the holiday, as was the daughter who cared for him in his dotage. We took with us a teething toy as one of the babies was having a particularly rough time of it. We all chatted amiably for maybe 20 minutes. As we took our leave I said, "Have a happy Passover." Reb B smiled up at me from the heart of his family and said, "Happy Easter". He didn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah but he knew I did. In that simple exchange we offered one another grace, not because we had to be PC but out of respect.

The not-so-reverand Jerry Falwell says Christmas is under attack because, among other things, department store windows are bereft of the word "Christmas". Tha't insane. Using the generic "holidays" rather than intolerantly assuming everyone is Christian is not a bad thing. It is polite and respectful. (Sure, it can get a little silly. The big tree in front of the White House, the one all lit up with a star on the top? That's a Christmas tree). But "happy holidays" doesn't diminish Christmas. Being so involved with your stupid "culture war" that you fail to extend the love of Christ to others? That's a problem.