Holidays

I hate the holidays.  Always have; probably always will.



My dislike for the holidays most likely has its roots in my childhood.  Back then, my family was preoccupied with doing everything "right," rather than enjoying the time.  Since no one is perfect, there was always something that went "wrong."  Then, supposedly, the whole thing was ruined.  This doesn't make for pleasant holidays.

Of course, that was then and this is now.  Holidays no longer have to be perfect; it's OK if there are minor catastrophes.  They'll be something to laugh at in years to come.  Even so, I have a problem with this season.

See, we have Thanksgiving, which is a great idea on paper.  Get together with loved ones, have a generous meal, share the love.  Reflect on the blessings we have, appreciate the people you're with.  That's the idea, anyway.

What really happens in most cases is that people get together to commit mindless gluttony, eating and drinking until they're sick, without a thought about how fortunate they are.  Some people call it "Turkey Day," which is probably more honest than claiming it's Thanksgiving Day.  Every year, people get drunk and wind up killing themselves or others with their cars.

This time of year, people get all sentimental and teary-eyed for the homeless and the poor.  The media focuses on a few soup kitchens, getting footage of volunteers doling out food to the less fortunate.  This is fine, except it overlooks the fact that these people are hungry all year round, not just for the holidays.

After Thanksgiving comes "Black Friday," a media-created event that causes people to line up outside retail stores in anticipation of their opening.  There are often videos of people fighting over merchandise that is on sale.  Occasionally someone gets killed.  One year, the crowd broke down the door to a store and trampled an employee to death.  How's that for Christmas spirit?

Christmas was originally the commemoration of the birth of Jesus.  It was a religious holy day for Christians.  Christians (and often others) sought to encourage peaceful, more upbeat thoughts and behavior.  Now it is little more than an orgy of mindless buying.  Some stores are playing Christmas music before Halloween, trying to squeeze a few more bucks out of the season.

Part of Christmas revolves around Santa Claus, by far more popular than Jesus.  Santa, like God, is omniscient, knows whether you've been naughty or nice.  Unlike God, Santa doesn't punish your naughtiness with eternal torment.  All Santa does is to put coal in your stocking.  You are rewarded according to how good you've been throughout the year.  Of course, Santa Claus doesn't exist.  There is a widespread conspiracy among adults to lie to their children about Santa.  And they wonder why the kids grow up not believing what the grownups say.

Since the gifts you get depend on how good you've been, kids from poor families automatically are deemed less good than rich kids.  Obviously, the poor kids get fewer presents, if any - so they must not be very good, right?

Then you've got songs like "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer," in which a reindeer with some sort of birth defect is rejected by his peers.  Only when Santa finds a use for Rudolf, is he accepted by the other reindeer.  So we're teaching our kids about conditional love, there.  If you're different you're worthless, unless Santa (or someone) finds a way to use you.  Great message.

Of course we also lie to kids about the Easter Bunny (laying eggs?) and the tooth fairy.  It's all very cute, but it teaches kids a powerful lesson: You can't believe what grownups tell you, because they tell you a lot of bullshit.

Rounding off the year we have New Year's Eve.  Again with the mindless drinking, what I call "amateurs' night."  People who seldom drink throughout the year often let loose this one evening, with deplorable results.  Unused to the effects of liquor, they become dangerous to themselves and others, driving drunk, puking all over, generally making themselves obnoxious.

All the above being the case, I long ago decided not to participate.  These holidays, once quiet times for family, friends, reflection and peace, have become ugly, grotesque parodies of themselves.  No thanks.