In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!' - Dave Barry "Christmas Shopping: A Survivor's Guide"
So. The Caffeinated Babe knows nothing about bloggery, but I CAN change the font color in honor of Festivus. Enjoy the red and green...we'll return to placid blue soon enough.
I love this quotation--really. To me, Christmas is in the heart, not in the words "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Solstice" or "enjoy your time off due to some irrelevant, consumer-driven holiday season". Even though I am more than a little enamored with words, I am definitely a SPIRIT of the law vs. a LETTER of the law kind of gal. Which applies to my spriritual journey as well.
This is my take on Christmas: Celebrate. Or don't. Worship. Or don't. Go to church. Or don't (Easter is right around the corner, if you are more of a spring fashionista). Shop. Or don't. Drink to excess. Or don't. Whatever you do, or don't do, don't blame it on Jesus--the little dude was born in a barn. And let's face it, the way our society celebrates Christmas these days has very little to do with Jesus.
Here's the thing about Jesus--really, all he came to do was share Love. Cosmic, pervasive Love. And if that Love takes the form of your family ringing the Salvation Army kettle bells or bringing a jar of peanut butter for the food drive, personally, my God is good with that. If you enjoy celebrating Hanukkah or ignoring any insensitive mention of The Christ in Christmas, I'll just bet that Jesus gets EXACTLY where you're coming from. Just try not be nasty about it (I notice that few fierce anti-Christmas peeps are devout enough to insist on working through the holiday...).
When Jesus was born (whether you think he was the Messiah or not), he was a pretty low-key guy. His dad may as well have worked at the shipyard, his mom helping in her mom's beauty shop. He wasn't so much about loving HIM as loving each other, even if the "others" were tramps and thieves. Which is the challenge. Because it's always easier to judge than to love, whether you are a scripture-quoting Christian or a devout Atheist.
Spiritual musings aside, my point is...be kind. Not because it's Christmas (though being kind is an excellent way to demonstrate Love), but because it makes our shared time on the planet much more pleasant. If you are a homeless person getting a hot meal, I don't think you give a shit whether the person serving it is a self-proclaimed Christian or not.
And I don't think Jesus much cares either.
This is my take on Christmas: Celebrate. Or don't. Worship. Or don't. Go to church. Or don't (Easter is right around the corner, if you are more of a spring fashionista). Shop. Or don't. Drink to excess. Or don't. Whatever you do, or don't do, don't blame it on Jesus--the little dude was born in a barn. And let's face it, the way our society celebrates Christmas these days has very little to do with Jesus.
Here's the thing about Jesus--really, all he came to do was share Love. Cosmic, pervasive Love. And if that Love takes the form of your family ringing the Salvation Army kettle bells or bringing a jar of peanut butter for the food drive, personally, my God is good with that. If you enjoy celebrating Hanukkah or ignoring any insensitive mention of The Christ in Christmas, I'll just bet that Jesus gets EXACTLY where you're coming from. Just try not be nasty about it (I notice that few fierce anti-Christmas peeps are devout enough to insist on working through the holiday...).
When Jesus was born (whether you think he was the Messiah or not), he was a pretty low-key guy. His dad may as well have worked at the shipyard, his mom helping in her mom's beauty shop. He wasn't so much about loving HIM as loving each other, even if the "others" were tramps and thieves. Which is the challenge. Because it's always easier to judge than to love, whether you are a scripture-quoting Christian or a devout Atheist.
Spiritual musings aside, my point is...be kind. Not because it's Christmas (though being kind is an excellent way to demonstrate Love), but because it makes our shared time on the planet much more pleasant. If you are a homeless person getting a hot meal, I don't think you give a shit whether the person serving it is a self-proclaimed Christian or not.
And I don't think Jesus much cares either.
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