Comments on: Merry Christmas [or insert holiday of your choice here]

By: David

David — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 07:37:50 +0000

Christmas used to be celebrated merrily. But since my dad passed away, things just became different. It’s like in a song, “Christmas won’t be the same without you…” But I still believe, it’s ought to be celebrated with happy hearts for it’s our Jesus’ birth.

By: tree service eugene oregon

tree service eugene oregon — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:02:48 +0000

I can say that I am one of the luckiest person to celebrate Christmas here in my country. We celebrate Christmas here merrily, we have strong family ties and with all my family, we all celebrate Christmas together.

By: Dwight Williams

Dwight Williams — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 15:25:07 +0000

Sounds all too familiar, Alfred…

By: Alfred J Farley

Alfred J Farley — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:48:46 +0000

I’m a follower of Jesus, and I think the Bill O’Reillys of the world are part of our problem. Jesus never raised his voice to the agnostics of his day, but he was upset with the religious people all of the time. I’m afraid Jesus has a hard time recognizing what goes on in his name today, at least here in the USA.

By: phil from new york

phil from new york — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:59:20 +0000

For a secular take on Christmas, here are a couple of pieces from The American Prospect about a Jewish immigrant from Russia (Irving Berlin) who wrote one of America’s most popular Christmas songs (White Christmas) without mentioning God, Jesus or Santa. In the process, he ushered in a new genre of Christmas songs and helped define how people see Christmas in America.

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=10775

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=i_love_christmas_music

And speaking of Irving Berlin, one of my two favorite Christmas movies is White Christmas (1954), in which the song White Christmas is sung twice. Sure, it’s unrealistic and full of schmaltz, but it illustrates the optimistic postwar world I was born into and is essentially a nice love story. For a more modern look at secular Christmas, I’d heartily recommend my other favorite Christmas movie, Love Actually, the very adult 2003 romantic comedy from our friends in the U.K., which has a stellar cast. However, try to avoid seeing it on USA Network or Bravo because they edit out all the fucks and shits, which make it a unique Christmas movie in my mind. One of my favorite scenes, which has nothing to do with Christmas, is when the new prime minister sticks it to the arrogant, bullying American president (gosh, who does that remind you of?) at a joint press conference in London and his popularity then soars.

Anyway, happy holidays to one and all!

By: Dwight Williams

Dwight Williams — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 03:08:15 +0000

Likewise, Chris. I'd call myself "agnostic" and use Diane Duane's definition of it from The Romulan Way. And yet...after a re-viewing of A Charlie Brown Christmas and Due South's "Gift of the Wheelman"...