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Monday, December 28, 2009

Why Christmas is like the Royal Family...

I might seem an odd comparison, but to me Christmas is just like the British Royal Family.

Why?  Well, because I love them both...but neither actually fit into my personal ideology or belief system.

What do I mean?  Well, in my heart I love Christmas, but my head says it's ridiculous.  In my heart I love the Royal Family, but my head says they're ridiculous.

Following me yet? 

I love the pomp and pagentry of the Royal Family.  I particularly loved Princess Diana and have quite a large collection of books about her and the Royal Family in general.  I love their weddings.  I love their castles and palaces.  I loved seeing Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Sandringham Estate when I was in the UK.

But I hate that they have such immense wealth when so many have nothing (even though I do believe they do a lot of good with some of their wealth).  I hate the protocol with which they're treated when I believe everyone should be treated equally.  I believe they are completely obsolete in today's world, but I would hate to see them go.

I love Christmas decorations, dressing the Christmas tree, Christmas Carols, Carols by Candlelight, wrapping Christmas presents, giving Christmas presents, the Christmas Spirit...

But I hate the commercialism.  I hate the fact that it is a Christian festival that has got totally out of control (and so has Easter).  I hate that everyone uses it as an excuse to go on a wild spending spree regardless of whether they're Christians or not.  I am a Catholic, but in name only.  In fact I call myself a closet Catholic, because I grew up with it but no longer practice the faith...at this point anyway.  So I feel like a fraud.  Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Christ, that's all.  Not this crazy silly season that it has somehow evolved into.  And if I think about it (which I do because I over-think everything) it makes me more than a little mad.

I don't know.  Maybe I should just stop over-thinking things and just enjoy things for what they are.
What do you think??

2 comments:

  1. I am a practicing Catholic (by that I mean I go to Mass occasionally and my children go to a Catholic School) and when I do sit back and think about it the whole Christmas thing is incredibly commercial and why should non-Christians celebrate it anyway if they don't believe it. But I dont ever think too deeply into it, I guess things just are the way they are. I have a friend who is a huge royalist and I have often rubbed shoulders with the royals just because I am with her. I dont feel either way towards them but did find it particulary exciting to unexpectantly spend my hen's night with Zara Phillips. So I guess I just try to enjoy things even if it does seems ridiculous.

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  2. I love Christmas - I love that we share Jesus with people who don't know him yet, even thought they may not care, it's lovely that people can sing about God, and about Jesus. I love Christmas.

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