I'm referring to the holiday season now underway. When I was a kid, the holiday commercials appeared on TV and many people put up their Christmas trees on or right after Thanksgiving. Many people thought that was too soon. Now at least part of Walmart is decked out for the holidays before Halloween.
When Renata and I left Poland 9 years ago, the holiday season didn't kick off here until sometime in December. But now in Poland it starts right after the 1st of November.
So, what's the problem? A lot, in my opinion. First of all it's ugly both visually and aurally. I've not yet seen a large plastic inflatable Snowman, Santa and Grinch that I would consider beautiful. I love Christmas carols and even the light-weight holiday songs like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, but the never-ending quest for the novel and the silly has resulted in some horrendous versions of the old classics. Do we really need the Chipmunks, redneck, rap and pop diva versions? And do we need to hear them over and over at the shopping centers and on the radio for nearly two months?
That takes care of my confused clattering noise definition. Now for my fraudulent scheme, enterprise, or activity definition.
The retailers want us to buy, buy and buy some more for the holidays. No matter that our closets are crammed full of junk we don't need (a lot of which was stuff we received at previous Christmases). No matter that we wear our nerves to a thread trying to think of something to buy for everyone on our list and dealing with crowded and hyperactive stores and endless lines in the bargain. No matter that many of us are already in some serious debt and shouldn't really be spending money on an unwanted battery-operated foot massager for some relative we haven't spoken 20 words to all year. Nevermind that our children are chronically dissatisfied with the mountain of stuff we buy for them.
Do we think that the landfills aren't full enough?
Happy Holidays
I used to be one of those people who got upset when stores and people would wish us "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas." They're taking Christ out of Christmas! and all that.
I've changed my tune on that. As you can tell from my rant on the holiday season, I hold it in little regard. I don't think the holiday monstrosity is worthy of the 'C' word.
Advent begins on December 2nd this year. I'll have more to say on Advent on this blog in a few weeks, but suffice it to say it's meant to be a time of quiet, prayerful preparation for Christmas. Actual Christmas begins on December 25th and traditionally was celebrated for 12 days after. Those 12 days used to be the time for noisy merry-making. Funny how now after the nearly 2 months of holiday season bedlam, the time between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve is a quiet, subdued period.
And then, of course, there's the matter of that troublesome Christ-child inconsiderately having a birthday in the middle of all this.
November
So, just ignore all the holiday season stuff if you don't like it, you old grump! Believe me, I try to. But it's not easy when everywhere you turn your senses are assaulted by it.
But anyway, it's November; a rather somber month in northern lattitudes. Most of the trees are now bare and it hasn't yet snowed. The days tend to be chilly, rainy and often foggy.
I've been looking for an excuse to include something in this blog by Robert Frost, one of my favorite poets. So, here goes:
My November Guest
by Robert Frost
My sorrow, when she's here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.
Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list;
She's glad the birds are gone away,
She's glad her simple worsted gray
Is silver now with clinging mist.
The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.
Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.
No comments:
Post a Comment