A Holiday Called Christmas
Christ·mas - A Christian feast commemorating the birth of Jesus.
This is the websters definition of this fine holiday. One problem though, I don't think this is the way that most who celebrate this day look at it. I, though unwillingly, am guilty of this myself. I buy gifts and go to the families house. But I hate it. I feel like I have to buy gifts for people, and it's like "what if I don't want to?". People get mad, or hurt, or whatever it is that they feel. But I don't get that either. People ask me, "what do you want for christmas?". I tell them "nothing", and they just laugh and say "that's ridiculous". They think I'm kidding. I don't want anything. I'm not christian, so I really have no reason to live by these traditions every single year. Well, according to websters that is. I was raised catholic, as well as my wife. Her family being a bit more hardcore than mine. I look at my family, and see them celebrating and I don't get it. My grandmother and my one aunt are the only ones that go to church every week. So they may have more of a reason behind the celebration. I never asked. But, somehow, I doubt it. It's just another time for everyone to get together and get drunk, eat food, and talk shit. My wifes family as a whole pretty much goes to church every week. Ecept maybe for a few of her aunts and one uncle. She's got a big family. I see them on the holiday, and it's everything I described with my family, but without the drinking. I'm not sure this is what it was supposed to be.
I see all the advertisments for gifts and all the loons in the stores, and it just amazes me. I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but in the U.S. people get really stupid over this shit. I saw on the news a lady getting trampled (as her wig flew off) as they opened the store doors on teh day after thanksgiving. Apparently they have good "sales" that day. People spend thousands and go into crazy debt over this thing. They decorate their homes and do the deal. This is a thing that consumes peoples lives for one month a year. And every year when christmas comes, I hate it. For one month a year I pretty much stay crabby. Plus the weather is cold.
Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with celebrations. I am guilty of feeling sort of good when the family gets together and has a good time. Now I have my son and I do enjoy finding a few things to buy him for christmas. But he will always know what christmas is. To me and the rest of the world. I enjoy getting a gift for him, because he dosen't expect it and thouroughly appreciates it. I think I'm not going to let him believe in the Santa Clause that most kids know. I feel that getting a child to believe something and then one day telling him it wasn't real all along isn't right. It sort of seems like training a person to accept what isn't real from childhood. My wife totally disagrees with me, but the truth is neccessary. Imagination is great, but only if the kid knows that it's make believe. If the kid really believes there's a Santa, it's no longer imagination. I'll dress up for him and give him a few gifts, all along letting him know it's me, so that he enjoys it. I definitely don't want him to miss out on enjoying his family and their celebrations. And him taking part in it IS imagination.
So, after my month and a half leave of absence this is what I came back with. Not that I have more than one reader, but it's all good. Life is still life and it's still all illusory. This piece right here is a perfect example of it. All I want for christmas is the truth. And truth is what this world really needs.
This is the websters definition of this fine holiday. One problem though, I don't think this is the way that most who celebrate this day look at it. I, though unwillingly, am guilty of this myself. I buy gifts and go to the families house. But I hate it. I feel like I have to buy gifts for people, and it's like "what if I don't want to?". People get mad, or hurt, or whatever it is that they feel. But I don't get that either. People ask me, "what do you want for christmas?". I tell them "nothing", and they just laugh and say "that's ridiculous". They think I'm kidding. I don't want anything. I'm not christian, so I really have no reason to live by these traditions every single year. Well, according to websters that is. I was raised catholic, as well as my wife. Her family being a bit more hardcore than mine. I look at my family, and see them celebrating and I don't get it. My grandmother and my one aunt are the only ones that go to church every week. So they may have more of a reason behind the celebration. I never asked. But, somehow, I doubt it. It's just another time for everyone to get together and get drunk, eat food, and talk shit. My wifes family as a whole pretty much goes to church every week. Ecept maybe for a few of her aunts and one uncle. She's got a big family. I see them on the holiday, and it's everything I described with my family, but without the drinking. I'm not sure this is what it was supposed to be.
I see all the advertisments for gifts and all the loons in the stores, and it just amazes me. I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but in the U.S. people get really stupid over this shit. I saw on the news a lady getting trampled (as her wig flew off) as they opened the store doors on teh day after thanksgiving. Apparently they have good "sales" that day. People spend thousands and go into crazy debt over this thing. They decorate their homes and do the deal. This is a thing that consumes peoples lives for one month a year. And every year when christmas comes, I hate it. For one month a year I pretty much stay crabby. Plus the weather is cold.
Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with celebrations. I am guilty of feeling sort of good when the family gets together and has a good time. Now I have my son and I do enjoy finding a few things to buy him for christmas. But he will always know what christmas is. To me and the rest of the world. I enjoy getting a gift for him, because he dosen't expect it and thouroughly appreciates it. I think I'm not going to let him believe in the Santa Clause that most kids know. I feel that getting a child to believe something and then one day telling him it wasn't real all along isn't right. It sort of seems like training a person to accept what isn't real from childhood. My wife totally disagrees with me, but the truth is neccessary. Imagination is great, but only if the kid knows that it's make believe. If the kid really believes there's a Santa, it's no longer imagination. I'll dress up for him and give him a few gifts, all along letting him know it's me, so that he enjoys it. I definitely don't want him to miss out on enjoying his family and their celebrations. And him taking part in it IS imagination.
So, after my month and a half leave of absence this is what I came back with. Not that I have more than one reader, but it's all good. Life is still life and it's still all illusory. This piece right here is a perfect example of it. All I want for christmas is the truth. And truth is what this world really needs.
posted by Ryan at 9:07 PM
1 Comments:
'All I want for Christmas is the Truth...' Bravo my friend - Mind if I use that line for all my family & friends? It's got 'classic' written all over it!
I wholeheartedly agree with your new post. The idea of Santa to me is a bit like the concept of the old Genesis God. We're told from a very young age to believe in something (or someone) that someone somewhere has made up (for control purposes?). Why can't we just be told from the get-go to believe in ourselves?!
'You better be good or else Santa won't give you any presents' - Hmmm. It's through our own mistakes and bad judgements that we get to learn, grow and evolve. The fear of being punished from an outside (& fictional) source is not in our best interests at all...
'You better be good or else you won't get to heaven' - Ditto.
Is Santa the childhood equivalent, and the last-standing metaphor for 'God'?
I'm not knocking Santa...or God for that matter. It's all belief...and it's all valid for that person really. But I think we should be more concerned about teaching CHOICE and Self-Belief over anything else.
Or at least, the realization that Every Thing is Choice and that All is Self...
Anyways - Sorry for ranting on your Blog (like I don't do enough on my own!). On the other end of the extreme, try spending a Xmas down under - Sunny, blazing hot, millions of flies, clear deep blue skies, and everyone walking around in their swimwear! Try putting up with all that! Hmmm - yeah, I guess it doesn't sound so bad after all - ha.
Happy Harmony my friend.
Your Para//el Self.
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