Meanwhile, as anyone who knows us knows, we moved away from celebrating Christmas several years ago for lots of reasons:
- we came out of serving the homeless with a very jaded view of how most *Christians* celebrate Christmas
- I can be pedantic & knowing the date is wrong just bugged me
- there is a huge increase in domestic violence, abuse, alcohol related problems & loneliness
- Very few people can even be bothered to attend a service
- And last, but not least, it has become a very secular, greedy holiday ~ which I find offensive. This year Coles or Woolies [not sure which] is so totally focused on all the non~essentials they are calling it *Santa Day*. Uh~huh. Pretty much sums it up. Jesus has well & truly departed the building!
We do celebrate Hanukkah ~ not because we think it's the Jewish equivalent of Christmas, but because we can focus on the prophetic elements of the Messiah & it becomes totally about Jesus rather than totally about food & presents ~ & yes, I do know what it is all about from the Jewish perspective!
However... *sigh* My DILY comes from a family who celebrate Christmas BIG TIME. Her tree touches the roof. There are wreathes & baubles [which I am so good @ shattering!] all over the house. The tree has been up for a month surrounded by a playpen stuffed with presents. I was slightly appalled. Even when we did Christmas we did it low key & fairly restrained & read the gospel account on Christmas eve when we broke out the first of the goodies. Their family, their traditions....Only we are expected there as they are hosting Christmas this year. I do not want to go. My anti~socialism can be fairy extreme... people. Lots & lots of people. All her family, Us...As CG used to say: I might cry...
Dear Reader: I am being good. I have girded my loins for the fray. I have agreed to make my speciality breakfast pancakes to feed the hordes. I have agreed to stay till after lunch. I will refrain from regretting a peaceful day spent contemplating my navel on our lovely cool verandah enjoying a sultry sea breeze ~ & I will pretend I am enjoying myself. I will not scream: Get me out of here...!!! I promise. But just between me & thee ~ I can't wait till it's all over! Gosh, but I hate hoo~ha!
When the Princess was young...well, she came to us late in life and was our only, so--yes--we did Christmas big BUT we had a tradition on Christmas Eve that we would read about Jesus' birth and the Three Trees, we would brings gifts of gold and oil essences of myrrh and frankincense, and we would focus on the gift that God gave us, his Son, who would sacrifice himself to save us.
ReplyDeleteI had to accommodate my in-laws also and do "Santa" which I opposed, but I did not want to strain even more an already tense tolerance because my MIL always had such high expectations of everyone and obviously believed that any way something was done differently than she believed it should be (her way, mostly), it was to be pointed out and criticized as inferior.
I do like a Christmas Tree but this year all our "gifts" where bought and given before Christmas so there was little wrapped and under the tree. We all were fine with it. At least we were all together, unlike last year.