If Christmas Was Sex, It’d Be Prostitution
I told Instigator today that I was buying Christmas gifts now so that they would be delivered when I am in NYC this week. That way, I can wrap them and my sister will be surprised, as well. (She normally ends up wrapping the gifts I ship there.) It’s all about proper planning.
Instigator asked if my niece and nephew would also be opening the gifts when I was there. I said no, they would have to wait until Christmas but I was getting gifts now.
Then I said, “We’ve all already exchanged Christmas lists. We don’t have time to dilly dally. Christmas is very un-romantic in my family. We swap lists, we swap money. It’s a transaction. If Christmas was sex, it’d be prostitution.”
I know. It’s hard to believe that Christmas is not a big thing for me. Especially considering how I took time to explain Easter to Little Filthy. (“Jesus, cave, blah blah, third day, blah, stone rolled away, blah blah, if he sees his shadow, there are six more weeks of winter.”)
Here’s the thing… we aren’t particularly religious. This means the whole Jesus thing? We’re not convinced. There. I said it. Well, at least, my sister and I are open to other options. Excuse us if we’re cynical. It happens after each spending four years attending and collectively giving over a quarter of a million dollars to Notre Dame – and getting donation cards in the mail from the University every other week. Of course, there was also that priest the performed the Black Market Baptism on my sister’s kids for a generous donation to his mission in Sri Lanka. Then there are all of the hypocrites. Basically, I don’t care what you believe – as long as you treat people well. (And, by the way? Seems Jesus agrees. Matthew Chapter 25: 31-46. I knew studying theology would be helpful at some point.)
So, yeah. Christmas? EH. I could take it or leave it.
Having said all that… when I look at my niece, who is 3 1/2 right now, I still want her to feel that Christmas is a special time of year. I want her to be excited on Christmas morning. I want her to believe in Santa Claus. I want her to look forward to giving gifts and experiencing the happiness that comes with giving. And yes, I hope it will be a year round thing and not just once a year. I want her to be mesmerized by a Macy’s store window. I can’t really help it. I want her to like Christmas.
I know I said I could take or leave Christmas. But really, Christmas probably isn’t for the taking or leaving – it’s for the giving. So I’m giving it to my niece and my nephew in all its glory. I’m giving it in the form of decorations, traditions, colorful paper, big family dinners and lots of time together. I might just end up loving Christmas.
I’ll let you know.
Just a random attorney writing about daily life with Little Filthy, my rotten dog.
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Can you explain to Little Filthy that my birthday is at the end of this month ? Chocolate cake, blah blah blah, loves dogs, wants to spoil little filthy rotten with peanut butter and read to him, blah blah blah…….
Like you, I don’t feel so romantic about Christmas. But when little children in my family are around, I want them to get excited. While I’m busy feeling like a Christmas whore and all used up for my gifts, I want them to feel valued and loved.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. That is when I get together with my family and we all tell each other how much we love and appreciate one another. Oh, that and it’s around my birthday………….
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I think Christmas is for the children. That wide eyed excitement and magic. Oh, the innocence.
Although in saying that, last Christmas my mother in law looked at the hubby and I pointedly and said, “I hope there are more children soon so we can enjoy Christmas with them soon…”
Erm…she may have to wait a while. That was the first moment we faced the stereotypical pressure to get pregnant from the in laws. And it keeps building.
Yes, Christmas really is magical…eek…
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 am
Take your niece and nephew to see the windows at Macy’s and the big giant Christmas tree. Take pictures of their cute little noses pressed up against the glass. Then let me know if you are still so eh about Christmas
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
No question kids make it what it is – or should be – a time for family, for optimism, for closeness to those you love. Even those expectations are part of what makes it such a difficult time of year, for so many.
Macy’s. Yeah.
Paris. Better.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Christmas = transaction. Wow. I never thought of it that way, but when I think back to my family Christmas holidays, yep, in a nutshell.
My kids are older, 14 and 11, but when they were babies I began traditions with them that I hope one day they will look back and look on the Christmas holidays with warm memories.
Great post RE. Thanks.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Aw. This post actually got me all teary.
I can tell that you want it to mean something to you but you’ve just been jaded by the duty of it. I can completely understand why. I turned away from organized religion for many of the reasons you listed here.
Christmas is for the giving but that giving shouldn’t stop on the one day of the year. Christmas should be the celebration that we can all stop and take a moment to recognize that we can offer much more than we think. And those offerings don’t always have to have price tags.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
errrm…Halloween is my favourite holiday. i don’t know if that tells you anything about me (OH THAT PAGAN! SHE SHOULD BURN!)…sigh…
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:20 pm
@Sandra – I sense that your birthday is a big event. I will let Little Filthy know. But – fair warning – he’ll promptly forget. He’s just awful like that.
@Kez – Seriously, Kez, get with the baby makin’. CHOP CHOP.
@Instigator – Ooookay, I’ll try.
@BigLittleWolf – Agreed. Paris = BETTER.
@Linda – I think those traditions make all the difference. We didn’t have any traditions outside of the standard fare but I think they must make a huge difference. Your kids will be the better for them!
@T – Aww, jeeze, T, cut it out.
@Lily – I think you’d be in more trouble if you went around celebrating Good Friday.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:31 am
If I didn’t have to deal with family during Christmas, I think I would like it a lot more. But the whole guilt trip about who thinks I should visit is really annoying.
It sounds like you need to have kids or something. You are living vicariously through your sister hehe.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
God, ND is incessant with the requests for donations, aren’t they? CSC isn’t for Cash Stealing Crooks, is it? Chin up about the holidays.