By Bill Woodruff–
On Dec. 8, my column “Holiday Madness” poked fun at our holidays. I ran out of column space and I was a little worried that my brief comments on Christmas might be misinterpreted. That same day, Charles Moton wrote a letter and the Record-Bee”s managing editor, Mandy Feder, put it in the paper the next day. That was impressive enough, but it was the excellent content of his letter that I liked so much. His summation of my column and his letter said it so well: “It really doesn”t matter when we celebrate Jesus” birth as long as we absorb his message: Love thy neighbor as thyself!”
Over the past century or so, the commercial interests have turned Christmas into a mostly secular, materialistic celebration.
For little kids, Christmas is all about Santa and presents. That”s OK, I always like that as a child and even more as a parent and uncle.
When I was a boy, my grandparents who were devout Methodists, took us to church on Christmas morning. It was something to be endured until we got home to open presents and change into comfortable clothes. The religious message was a seed planted that took awhile to sprout. Sometimes it takes a really long time for lessons to sink in.
It is strange how things go in circles. Christmas evolved from a Roman pagan holiday into a religious observance of the man who over a billion people believe was the greatest man who ever lived. Now Christmas has gone full circle into being dominated by pagans.
This season we have a new character, PC Grinch. He”s out in full force, trying to intimidate us with political correctness. In his Orwellian way, he”s trying to steal Christmas and replace it with “holiday.” Didn”t the word holiday come from Holy Day? I hope he doesn”t catch on.
Without a slap in the face, there is no need to turn the other cheek.
We can have a balance of religion, Santa Claus and gifts, Yule logs, Christmas trees and traditions from many countries, and still call it Christmas.
Our country was founded by Christians. They had the grace and tolerance to allow those of all faiths, or none at all, to live here and believe as they choose. This is a great tradition and should be upheld at all costs.
Let Christmas be the celebration of the life and teachings of Jesus and let Santa continue to bring the material gifts. Neither one needs to vanish for the other to exist.
One of the greatest literary masterpieces is Charles Dickens” “A Christmas Carol.” How often we hear that Ebenezer Scrooge is remembered as a cruel miser. The word scrooge is a synonym for tightwad. But at the end of the story, Ebenezer has a revelation. He sees the error of his ways, repents and becomes the embodiment of charity and good will. So if anyone calls you a scrooge, thank them because Scrooge absorbed his message.
I hope your holiday is a Merry Christmas.
Bill Woodruff is a longtime Lake County resident and former business owner.
