Merry Christmas, Jackass
The Christmas season is a one of warm tidings, cheer, and kindness in your fellow man. So, I say, "Merry Christmas, asshole." I say this not to you, celebrator of the day. My ire is directed at that individual with the bah humbug stick up their rear hole. That hate filled jerkoff whose life is so empty that he claws at a shining beacon of kindess and demands that it is removed from the presence of all just because it has vaguely religious origins.
First of all, everything has vaguely religious origins. Before people just became too lazy to care anymore, religion defined everything. The very basis of laws and all legal restrictions comes from the very foundation set by ancient religions. Saying to remove the nativity scene is little different, in respect, than saying make murder legal. You can't tell time without being religious. Chances are you recognize the BC/AD system of naming years and mark the year by solar cycles as opposed to lunar ones. Guess what? Christian!
And, yes, I did, in fact, call Christmas vaguely religious. The day is named after the birth of the Christian savior, Jesus, but after that the connections really fizzle out. If people actually knew anything, at all, they would know that just about everything detail regarding the most joyous of days is deeply rooted in pagan festivities, as most any holiday is.
Jesus was not born in the winter. His birth came more in the springtime. December 25th was, in the ol' calendar, the Winter Solstice. This marked the point where the days would begin to grow longer, meaning less darkness (which was bad) and more light (which was good). This turning point was celebrated by numerous cultures around the globe, all for different reasons or deity figures, and it all predated Christ.
The most heavily influential of these celebrations is none other than the Roman's own Saturnalia. Here, for the week or two surrounding the winter solstice, stretching to the end of the year, there would be parties, merry-making, gift giving, no work, and the temporary freeing of slaves (ie: servants). Geez, a whole long stretch of merriment? Now, why does that seem familiar? Oh, yeah! The Christmas season! This entire tide of booze and dancing was done in the honor of the father of the gods, the titan Saturn. Of course, that's where the name came from. The Romans were more, "Hey, all, let's get plastered! Whoo!"
Then you go to the good, ol' Norse men. They had a knack for dolling up pine trees at this time. They would adorn it with bow and candles (since strings of light bulbs were not invented yet) and other pretty things to serve as a reminder that the cold, dark, harsh times were turning around. The tree pretty much said, "Hey, winter is a bitch, but better times are ahead." And, yet, we have jackasses saying, "I don't want to be reminded of springtime, it offends me as a total douche bag."
There are other cultures and other supreme powers, like the Invisible Sun God and so forth, try researching it for more info. The point to take home is they all centered around light and having a ball. So, why don't we have anyone of those names in place of Christmas? Well, pretty much since Christmas ate them. When Catholisism was spreading over the world, they pretty much just said, "Hey, we have a feast like that. We call it Christmas. Instead of sacrificing your first born, you exchange presents and fill socks." A horrible exaggeration? Why, yes. Does it still deliver the same message? Boy howdy. The recognition of JC's B-day was actually moved to put it near wintertime since the festivities were liked and wanted to be kept despite the overtaking of the other religions. Little hints of the absorbed aspects still show up, too, just like how Easter is named after a godess who was represented by an egg laying bunny.
What is the catch phrase of Christmas? Good will towards men and peace on Earth? How hardened of a blackened heart does one wanker have to have to say, "I don't like that message of tranquility and joy, it offends me," to strive so hard to require the government to remove it? People use to fight for things that meant something. Equality for women, or equality regardless of race. Now what do people fight for? Gutting the fun out of the most miserable season of the year. These guys must be some pretty sadistic freaks to want to spread so much bitterness and pain. Whether or not you believe Jesus was the Messiah, he is still historically known as a wise man and a healer who, what, tried to free the Hebrews? So, celebrating his birth is a no but Martin Luther King Jr.'s is a yes? Well, that seems a bit unfair.
Now, I know some people are of other faiths and have different celebrations. Well, guess what? I'd hate to say it, but they suck. They are just jealous, and that's the truth. Chanaku was celebrated for hundreds of years, but, only once Christmas became "over commercialized" did it bother getting noticed. Same with Kwanza, except that one is even more phoney. It's not even a hundred years old. Literally, some guy said, "Hey, Christmas is over commercialized. Let's make a new holiday." Now, one might read into that, "Oh, they wanted to get the spirit back in the right direction with their efforts." Now, you'd be a fool to think that. I read from it, "Wow, they're getting fat cash from that deal. Let's try to get in on that." And don't even get me started on "Human Light". Seriously, if I ever meet anyone who celebrates that, even if they are in a wheel chair, I'll punch there lights out.
Christmas is the universal holiday of the season. It has been around for ages, thousands of years, just with some name changes. Who is being celebrated never really mattered for the event, it was always what was being celebrated, and that was happiness. You don't replace what is not broken. It already has Santa, tons of other characters and tales surrounding, TV specials, etc. It's already perfect for enjoyment by all, so why even bother saying we need to start again? It's stupid.
And, lastly, Christmas is not over commercialized. Do you know what is? Life. Hell, chances are you are a walking advertisement. You have logos on your shoes, brand names on your shirt, names on everything you own. Thing is, this is just what happens when economy enters an industrial market system. No one makes anything on their own, they buy it. Ergo, when you get someone a gift, you buy it, as that's how you acquire goods. So, what? People are greedily exploiting the holidy by selling the merchandise that would be purchased anywise at amazing sale prizes? Damn those evil retailing bastards passing savings on to people during a time of increased commerce!
So, shut the hell up, merry Christmas, happy New Year, and peace on frickin' Earth!
