Call for Holidays

Friends, I am inspired.

The Freakin' Deacon and I just watched "What Would Jesus Buy?" and my question for the Church is this: what the *#&@ do we do about the holidays? I'm not a new convert to this stop-consumerism movement just because of a movie. I have these little acolytes at home and I want to raise them right. This has been a struggle for the Deacon and myself since they were old enough to be deluged in gifts (in utero is old enough, apparently). Do we celebrate Christmas despite the fact that we are arguably not Christians? Is it enough that it is part of our family heritage? There are a lot of times I don't think that is enough to go on - "because that's the way it's always been done" is a pretty poor answer to any question about habitual events.

I propose that we, over the course of the next several months, come together as a Church and establish some NEW traditions. Spending a pile of money and chopping down innocent trees that could better spend their lives cleaning our air is not what TCOWHN is about, at least in my opinion. Festivus has been raised as an option to the insanity that is X-mas. For the record, the Deacon & I are currently in possession of a pole in our basement - we would be more than happy to host the airing of grievances and feats of strength. If anyone out there has an alternative to X-mas, shopping till you drop, eating way the frak too much, and hanging out with people you'd never speak to if you weren't genetically related to them - I'm all ears.

Really, this is all for the acolytes. We've got this one chance (their formative years) to teach them what the Church is all about, what LIFE is all about. I want to do a good job and not raise spoiled rotten brats who feel entitled to everything their greedy little eyes land on. Just because they see it on TV doesn't mean it's coming to our house.

I know I'm not a Christian, but I'd be all for people being more Christ-like, especially come the holidays. I don't need all the doo-dads and whirligigs and whatzits - and my kids most certainly don't either. They need to learn to use their Imaginations and their Hearts, to appreciate the people they love EVERY day rather than one day a year, to show their love with actions rather than things. I need to learn to do those things so I can teach them to my children. And I'm asking for the Church to support my efforts.

After all, that's why we're here. Right?